Read Between The Lines
by Lamby
Summary: As usual Senator's daughter Sam Hawley, aka Shockwave, is getting into mischief. Unfortunately for her teachers the X-Men its an opportunity Apocalypse can't afford to let slip. AU to X3.
1. 01

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

**A/N:** Okay, this story has three purposes. Most importantly, I've been alluding to Apocalypse being about for a while now in Corrinth's and mine shared timeline. I'll freely admit I had no idea where I was going with it until this brainwave struck.

Secondly my rather demanding second OC Shockwave has decreed that since her first story went down so well, she's not playing second fiddle anymore, and especially not to my first OC Blaze. So this time she's the star, which actually suits my third purpose, Blaze herself, down to the ground…

Blaze has had enough of the world on her shoulders, forcing her to make big decisions when she'd never yet made a good one. And having her heart, mind or health smashed to smithereens every five minutes. She just wants to have fun for a change! I don't usually like to give OCs an easy ride, but she has got me feeling guilty now. So in true three-birds-with-one-stone style, here goes! Enjoy! Set a year after 'L'Ange de Morte' and about three weeks after the epilogue of 'All or Nothing'.

Scene 01 

Nighttime hung over the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters like a comfort blanket splattered with holes through which the stars could shine. Neither late nor early, most of the children were abed, though their teachers, the X-Men, were still awake and active. In the danger room Scott Summers, known as Cyclops, and Kurt Wagner, Nightcrawler, were training with fury for no particular reason. There hadn't been any missions for the team in a month, not since their colleague Colossus had been wrenched from them, may he rest in peace…

The mansion's kitchen was inhabited by Jubilation Lee, dressed in her nightgown and with a fluffy towel turban around her hair; she searched for something to nibble on. In his office, Charles Xavier relaxed by the fire with a good book he'd long been meaning to reread. And down in the hangar, the mutant called Logan made Xavier's daughter laugh with his terrible chat up lines. As if he needed them, Ilehana thought smugly, twirling a spanner around her finger and shaking her blonde head softly…

But upstairs in one girl's dorm, the relative calm of the rest of the house was being disturbed by an argument conducted in above-frantic stage whispers. One mutant teenager stared down her friends, and truly believed she had never known such a spineless, unadventurous, goody-two-shoes bunch of kids in all her life.

"C'mon guys!" The mutant daughter of Senator Michael Hawley stood with her hands on her hips, pouting as only she knew how. Sam, or Shockwave, did not take no for an answer. "I mean, you were up for it enough when we swiped all Scott's shades from his room that night…"

"Yeah…" The white-haired, violet-eyed Vertigo agreed cautiously. Taller than Sam, though a few months younger, she was usually the only one of the three that would stand up to Shockwave. She'd been at the school longest, a runaway with the power to make anyone she blasted dizzy and weak. Usually even meeting the fifteen-year-old's eyes took some courage, but Sam had bags of that to spare. "But we spent the next month on cleaning duty because of it…"

"It was worth it just for the funnies." Wolfsbane was a delicate brunette with highlights of red in her hair and deep brown eyes. A year younger than the other two, she'd been happy to play the baby of the bunch until their latest recruit showed up. But all the same, there was a dark streak to the metamorph, and she didn't much like to talk about her past. "What with Cyc screaming for help and Logan stormin' in with his claws out looking for a fight, just to find a blind guy looking for his glasses…"

"Totally." Vertigo couldn't disagree with Wolfsbane, they had rolled around the corridor laughing so much, that they'd barely noticed Storm standing over them. "But think about it Sam, we got a month for having a sense of humour. You're talking about leaving here, without permission and after curfew, and going to a bar?" There was a touch of the incredulous in Vertigo's tone by the time she'd finished speaking, but it would take much more than that to get Sam to give up on a brainwave.

"You talk about it like you've never been to one…" Sam droned, acting all grown up all of a sudden. It irritated Vertigo no end that this spoilt little senator's daughter would act so much older than the rest of them. If she didn't know Sam was a die-hard friend…

"I haven't, I'm only just fifteen, and you're not much older than me so don't talking down at me."

"I didn't say we had to go to a bar…" Sam tried lying blatantly as a different tack. "I'm just so bored. Nothing ever happens around here…"

"You are so melodramatic!" Wolfsbane had to laugh. "Nothing ever happens? What ridiculous planet are you from Shockwave?"

"Not to us." Shockwave was adamant. "Sure the X-Men are all over the show saving the world, but what do we ever do?" Vertigo folded her arms and even Wolfsbane looked a little offended at that statement. Sighing, Sam gave up on them and turned to her final partner-in-crime. "You're awfully quite Iona, what are you thinking about?"

Thirteen and a half year old Iona was the newest pupil at the Xavier School, never mind the newest addition to their little gang. Nightcrawler had put responsible Vertigo in charge of the newby until she settled in, and the four of them had been inseparable since. A thoughtful and even mildly disturbed child, Iona looked typically Celtic, with strawberry blonde frizzy hair and freckles, but despite her name and appearance, she was from Iceman's home city of Boston. Her powers were unusual; her touch could reverse polarities in magnets, electrics, even in biological cells. What started as an acid burn could quickly lead to dehydration, ionic imbalances and even death. For everyone's sakes, the X-Men were hoping she could learn control fairly quickly… Her reply to her friend's searching question was typically abrupt. "Nothin'."

"Liar!" Wolfsbane teased, eyes sparkling with mischief. "See, you're even blushing! The thought of Cyclops in bed too much for you?"

"He didn't even have a shirt on…" Iona pointed out, blushing deeper red as the other three howled their laughter at her.

"Oh please!" Sam exclaimed, throwing her shockwave-causing hands wide in knowing indignation. "If you're gonna have a crush on one of the X-Men, at least pick one who's not such a goody-goody and might even notice you back!"

"Here we go again…" Vertigo rolled her eyes and sat down on the edge of her bed.

"We all know about the time you supposedly pulled Gambit, Sam. Nobody believes you." Wolfsbane cut Sam off short as Iona glanced from one older girl to the next. She didn't know the story…

"It so did! I told you, I didn't know who he was, or that I was a mutant, or anything! Didn't get very far though, no thanks to Blaze, the bitch…"

"What's wrong with Blaze?" Iona asked, the fiery redheaded X-Man being her tutor, the staff member in charge of helping Iona control her powers. Or at least, she would be if she weren't away on a mission with Storm. But Iona couldn't see what Sam could have against the young woman who'd once been a thief.

"Don't get her started, Iona." Vertigo cautioned. "You'll understand better when Blaze starts loading you with extra credit work in French like she has been doing with us all term."

"Anyway," Shockwave continued almost as if Vertigo and Iona had never opened their mouths. "Like I was saying, Gambit is so last century…"

"Yeah?" At least Wolfsbane was still listening to her, Sam thought. "So who's flavour of the month this month Sam?"

"I'm thinking Iceman is definitely the way forward…" Sam grinned, eyes glazing over comically. "But enough of this, we're going out, and there's not a thing anyone can do to stop us!"


	2. 02

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 02 

They took a cab from the end of Greymalkin Lane, just out of eyeshot of the mansion. Sam, feeling positive and totally at ease having earned her stripes long ago in sneaking out to go to bars, demanded the driver take them to the nearest watering hole. Ironically the driver tipped his imaginary chauffeur's hat at the girl, and ditched them not five blocks away.

The bar, Diego's, was busy and bustling, making all the girls relax as they felt their anonymity assured by the crowd. With Shockwave as their leader and spokesperson, they headed to the bar. Diego himself was the barman, a slightly rotund cheerful soul in his late forties. He watched them patiently as Sam took her friend's orders.

"Um, a coke?" Wolfsbane asked hesitantly.

"Sweet, Wolfie." Vertigo, now that they'd actually got here, was relaxing and becoming more confident. Anything Sam could do… "Whiskey and coke Sam, thanks."

"Iona?" Sam asked, raising a well-manicured eyebrow as if daring the youngest of them to screw this up.

"Same." Iona spurted, as if by saying the least she could draw the least attention to herself.

"Four whiskey and cokes, and whatever you want for yourself…" Sam advised the barman, leaning over the polished bar a little too far in her low cut top, peeling notes from a wad of cash.

"Right," Diego replied, stepping back and not taking the money. The barman actually grinned as Vertigo and Iona at the back of the group felt a strong hand rest decisively on each of their shoulders. "Take 'em away Gambit."

"Busted…" Wolfsbane moaned as all four teenagers turned to address the X-Man the barman knew by name. Remy le Beau just grinned lopsidedly at them, red-on-black eyes sparkling.

"You got it, Petite."

"Were you following us?" Vertigo accused menacingly, but Gambit was used to strange eyes; he met his own in the mirror every morning. "Or were you just lucky?"

"Whatever help you sleep at night, Vertigo." Gambit shrugged, starting to direct the errant pupils towards the door.

"You were stalking us, weren't you?" Shockwave accused, eyes flashing. "There are laws about that kind of thing you know, Gambit. Not that you'd care, right?"

"Right now, I don't care if you the Queen of France, Shockwave. You goin' home."

"Buy a girl a drink first?" Sam switched tactics, anything to try and get out of him marching them back to the mansion like prisoners of war. She turned on all her charm, knowing it had nearly worked on him before. But he was wise to her now, and he wasn't going to fall for that again.

"You be lucky I pay for your cab." Gambit retorted, swapping his hand from Iona's shoulder to Sam's, knowing Shockwave might just bolt rather than face the consequences of her actions. That seemed to quite Sam, and in no time they were heading home.

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They'd left through the window. They arrived back through the front door, only just not kicking and screaming as they were pushed straight towards Xavier's office. Telepathically aware of his approaching audience, Xavier sighed and lowered his book. The bookmark was one a young Jean Grey had made for him, a small scrap of linen cross-stitched with the Xavier family crest. Shaking his head sadly, Charles set his mind to a sterner stance and turned to greet his motley collection of pupils.

"Thank you Gambit." Xavier addressed the younger man, who nodded singularly in reply, leaning against a back wall. So much for Remy's night out… The Professor turned to the teenagers, his eyes abruptly disappointed as the girls lined up across the carpet.

"And so it seems not a thing has been learned since our last meeting." The Professor addressed them coldly, seeing Wolfsbane wince at the abruptness of his tone. Well, they had brought this on themselves. "Again, you put your lives and the lives of others in danger…"

"We never put anyone in danger!" Sam argued the toss, almost not realising who she was arguing with.

"Oh no?" Xavier replied. "I'm pleased to see how much faith you have in Cyclops' level of control. Do any of you have any idea what you put him through that night? And now this! If someone in that bar had tried to hurt you…"

He left the sentence unfinished, knowing Sam at least knew what he was alluding to. She'd taken out a bar full of very rough men with her mutant power when one of them had taken a fancy to her, and though she'd never admit to having been afraid, her dreams were still troubled with what had happened.

"What do you want me to do?" Xavier suddenly asked, something in his voice demanding that they look at him. "Is punishing you enough? Will you take on board this time what we are trying to teach you?"

"Yes Professor…" Four subdued voices chirped in unison. Remy smiled darkly at that, the kids had just signed their own death warrants…

"Your privileges are revoked. You will not leave the school grounds. Any time out of lessons will be spent doing homework, chores, or in sessions with your tutors. The tutor sessions will be doubled. As for the chores." Xavier flicked his wheelchair into forward to approach the girls, lowering his voice. "We'll begin with re-alphabetising the school library…"

"But there's gotta be a zillion books in there!" Sam moaned, wincing as Wolfsbane elbowed her in the ribs.

"Then I suggest you start first thing in the morning, Samantha." Xavier responded, turning his back and so dismissing them. "Now go to bed."

There were some restrained scuffling noises behind him, and someone stifled a sniff as the door opened and closed. Only when the catch had caught with a click did Xavier turn back to Gambit.

"I just don't know what else to do with them…" Xavier, the invincible, all-knowing leader of the X-Men admitted.

"An' I'se sure Vixen, Storm, Cyc an' Blaze gonna love the idea of spendin' more time tutorin' 'em." Gambit observed in his New Orleans drawl. "When the filles back anyways?"

"The day after tomorrow," Xavier filled in, "If you wouldn't mind collecting Laura and Ororo from the airport?"

"What, so they can rub it in what a great time they'se had without Gambit?" Remy put humour in his voice, but he wasn't entirely joking.

"They have been on a mission you know, cleaning up in Hawaii after the incident with the X-virus…" Xavier smiled patiently.

"I'se sure they workin' very hard," Gambit observed, "On their tans at least, non?"

"Well if you don't want to run to the airport for them, you can take over Logan's physical education class and he can go get them…"

"Easy, Professor." Gambit met Xavier's smile with one of his own. "Don't go threatenin' t'ings you might regret…"

"Thank you, Gambit." Xavier dismissed his X-Man with a twinkle in his eye. "I'm sure that Storm and Blaze will be very happy to see you."


	3. 03

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

**A/N:** Chunk of the Apocalypse legend I've used in this chapter is adapted from Corrinth's masterpiece 'Guardians of Destiny', with thanks.

Scene 03 

"Morning…" Shockwave yawned as she drifted into the expansive Xavier library like tumbleweed. Vertigo, Iona and Wolfsbane, scattered around the room amongst heaps of books and floor-to-ceiling bookcases, chairs and reading lamps, just looked at her.

"What time do you call this?" Vertigo put on her best impression of her mother. "The rest of us have been working for half an hour…"

"Chill, Ver." Shockwave waved a hand to deflect her friend's reproach. "I'm here now aren't I?" As if to prove it, Sam stood stock-still in the doorway and just watched her friends work for a good sixty seconds. Only when Vertigo looked like she was going to explode in fury at her friend did Sam drift over to a bookcase and proceed to pull practically everything off with no mind as to whether they were in alphabetical order or not.

"You do know that's the staff section?" Wolfsbane pointed out, "You're not supposed to…"

"The Professor never specified which bits needed categorising." Sam pointed out. "And given our staff members, do you think any one of these books had a chance of being in the right order?"

"Probably not." Wolfsbane laughed, "I mean…"

"Eek!" Wolfsbane's words were cut short by a sudden scream from the other side of the room. Little Iona was hastily backing away from a gap in the books she was working on, a look of abject horror on her face.

"What is it?" Vertigo went to her friend's side, but Wolfsbane and Shockwave only smother giggles and went back to what they were doing.

"Sp…sp…spider." Iona stuttered. "Get rid of it Ver, I can't stand them."

"She can turn people inside out by touching them, but she can't stand spiders?" Wolfsbane commented over Sam's blurted laughter. A laughter that tripled in volume when suddenly Wolfsbane shot three foot in the air, hands scrabbling at her own back. Vertigo innocently turned her back on the brunette, winking at Iona. The poor spider dropped from Wolfsbane's neck and sprinted under a bookcase.

"Why you…" Wolfsbane snarled at the white haired girl, but her protestations were overridden by Sam's next question.

"Where do you think 'Chronicles of Apocalypse' goes? Under C for Chronicles or A for Apocalypse?"

"It goes under the author, Sam." Iona pointed out, recovering herself after the spider incident.

"It hasn't got one." Sam answered, flicking through the pages briefly with forefinger and thumb. "It hasn't even got much writing, just all these weird symbols. And the paper's pretty odd too…"

"Vellum," Wolfsbane leaned over her friend's shoulder to see, "Thin leather made of calf's skin. And it's written in blood. This is a black book, Sam…"

"How the hell do you know its written in blood?" Shockwave asked without looking up, voice subdued and eyes captivated.

"I'm a werewolf." Wolfsbane pointed out. "I know lots of things I shouldn't."

"Cool." Sam was unbothered by her friend's admission. "What's a black book about then, sacrificing goats and babies?"

"I don't want to know." Vertigo walked over and took the book out of Sam's hands, slamming it shut. "You're giving me the creeps guys. And this book even smells funny…"

"Its just a book Vertigo." Wolfsbane told the other girl practically.

"No its not," Sam argued, "It's the coolest book ever! Let me see it Vertigo!"

"I didn't even know you could read." Vertigo spat her insult, but handed the book over anyway. She couldn't explain why, but she was just glad not to be touching it anymore. Sam turned her back on her friends and spread the book on a small table.

"C'mon Wolfie, prove you know this stuff! What are all these squiggles for?" Wolfsbane obeyed Shockwave's request, going to her friend's side and helping her translate it. Vertigo sighed and turned to Iona for company.

"You're being very quiet, Iona? What's up, you find another spider?"

"No, no." Iona dusted off her hands. "Just old books don't hold much with me. Gimme a comic and I'm your friend for life, but books just make me think of homework."

"I thought we were friends forever anyway?" Vertigo smiled, and Iona returned it. Of the other three, it was Vertigo Iona liked best, and she hoped it worked the same way back again. Certainly Sam and Wolfsbane were much more up for getting into trouble than the other two. As it was now, with Sam asking for Wolfsbane's final translation impatiently.

"As the legends tell, it began in darkness, before the universe and even time itself existed. In the shadows of a realm that had yet to come into existence, He was created. The Apocalypse; a nameless and shapeless being, battling to alter the destiny of a world or the universe as a whole. And then the Earth was born, a lifeless planet cooling in its infancy. In time, the race of humans was born upon that rock. With humanity came the potential for true chaos. The Apocalypse was sent by His masters to bring Earth into that chaos. Continuing His ceaseless work, neither ageing nor tiring, He knew that his sole existence was a premonition of the anarchy that now came to pass…"

"He's a mutant…" Vertigo observed softly, "Just like us."

"I wonder if he ever really existed?" Iona asked, equally awed by the power conveyed in Wolfsbane's recital.

"Why don't we read more and find out?" Shockwave asked impatiently, reaching for the book once more.

"Because it's not our book, and because we have to be in religious studies in two minutes." Iona replied, not wanting to preach.

"And we can't possibly be late for Nightcrawler's class, can we?" Sam replied sarcastically. "He's a saint, he'll forgive us!"

"Oh just put it away Wolfsbane." Vertigo decreed, but Sam was the leader of this gang and she knew it.

"No, pass it here. I could use a little light reading." The other three just looked at her incredulously. "What? It's a library remember? Here so you can borrow books?"

"But the pupil section is…" Iona pointed at the shelves around her, in awe that Sam would dare break the rules about the staff books.

"Boring!" Sam decreed. "You should try some of Jean Grey's left over steamy romance novels instead. Any of the ones with her name scrawled inside. Sorry to break your heart, Iona, but if she had to read those to get her kicks, Cyclops is not much of a boyfriend."

"You've borrowed the staff's books before? Sam, you could get in so much trouble…" Vertigo cautioned as Sam picked up the Chronicles of Apocalypse and wrapped it in her fleecy jumper.

"Who off? Bit hard for Jean to complain from beyond the grave. C'mon, I thought you lot wanted to get to class?"


	4. 04

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 04 

Golden Hawaiian sands stretched lazily down to the seashore like sprinkled stardust to a midday sky. The clear waters folded and churned in breakers as though they flirted with the splattering of surfers and their boards, teasing them with thrills and then disappearing as though the waves had never existed. The sea breeze was a stiff one, caressing the palm trees delicately, making the leaves rustle softly and dispersing the most oppressive layers of the island's heat haze. It was a beautiful, peaceful day.

On a pair of sun loungers in the middle of the sand, lying on thick beach towels and wearing more sun cream than clothes, two young women were avidly reading. Both Storm and Blaze, dressed in bikinis and sunglasses, lay on their toned stomachs and turned pages synchronously. A table set between them supported their sun tan cream and a tumbler of thick fruit punch with ice, though their glasses were empty. And then as if some cooking timer had gone 'ping', both women rolled over onto their backs, looked at each other, and laughed.

"I can't believe it's our last day already…" Storm sighed, putting her book down carefully as Blaze tossed hers away over the sand. "Do you think anyone in Westchester will notice if we don't go back?"

"Only when they notice they're having to cover an awful lot of lessons they didn't always take..." Blaze answered in her English accent, brown eyes dancing, enjoying the heat of the sun on her supple skin. She didn't mean her words, she knew they'd be missed at the school, and she missed the school too. But it didn't mean she was ready to go home already. Three weeks away, felt like the whole world should have changed…

"Um," Storm agreed. "I can just see Cyclops trying to teach your French class, or Logan history, can't you? Those poor kids…" Blaze echoed the African woman's gentle laughter again. "So, last night here, last chance for a steamy holiday romance, Blaze. Does that poor waiter even stand a chance?"

"Nope." Blaze grinned, flashing her white teeth and sitting to rearrange her halter-necked bikini. "Do I look desperate to you?

"I thought he was kinda cute." Storm commented flippantly, sitting herself and removing her sunglasses before pouring them both drinks. Blaze just laughed as she replied. "That doesn't say much for your taste in men, Ororo!"

"I have great taste in men." Ororo argued, smiling. Blaze just looked at her friend librarian-like over her pink-tinted sunglasses. "Not that I have to prove it…"

"Yes you do! Come on, Storm, spill!"

"No way." Ororo shook her head. "I'm not saying anything. And don't look at me like a hurt puppy, I'm not Gambit, that look wont work on me Blaze!"

"I can keep a secret…" Blaze promised, "Anything you tell me, I take to the grave. Cross my heart and hope to fry, smite me down with lightning if what you tell me ever leaves Hawaii…"

"Well…" Storm started hesitantly, but smiling non-the-less. "I always thought Logan was kinda cute, not that I'd ever tell him that, or Ilehana for that matter… What?"

"Logan!" Blaze grinned, picking up her juice and pushing her sunglasses back up her button nose. "Sorry, shouldn't laugh, its just the idea of a smart woman like you with a guy like him…"

"You can't tell me you've never had a crush on one of the X-Men, Blaze." Storm defended herself easily. Blaze lay down carefully, somehow keeping the glass in her hand upright.

"One of? Try all of 'em. I'm only human after all!" Blaze wasn't easily ashamed, something Storm knew quite well about the younger girl.

"Even the Professor?" Ororo asked, caught half way between hysteria and mortification as Blaze made a noise at the back of her throat that could easily have been a yes or a no. "Okay this conversation is getting way too hot, Blaze! I'm going for a swim to cool off."

"Have fun." Blaze offered, waving her friend off with a twirl of her drink. Shaking her head, Storm left her friend to her sunbathing and headed to the sea…

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Sam hadn't had chance to look at the book she'd hidden in her room all day, or even to do so much as breathe for herself. It seemed the Professor had been true to his word, and every moment they had spare from lessons was taken up with errands or homework. But when Cyclops, Sam's tutor, had cried off yet another session with the teenager for some lame excuse, Shockwave took the chance to grab some time to herself.

She thought about getting the book out, but as she entered the dorm room she shared with Vertigo and Wolfsbane, the white-haired girl was studying on the desk by the window. Suddenly feeling very possessive of the tome, Sam decided she would leave it for now. Instead she pulled out a draw and threw its contents all over her bed.

"What are you up to now?" Vertigo asked, glad of any distraction from the algebra questions Jubilee had set the class.

"Found it!" Shockwave grinned, waving a cardboard package at Vertigo and grabbing a towel off the radiator. "I'll be in the bathroom!"

Not very long later, a stunningly blonde Shockwave flounced her way to the next lesson, usual brunette locks successfully home-bleached. Seeing Gambit going somewhere in no particular hurry, Sam decided it was about time she proved to him that she had no especially hard feelings about the night before…

"Hey Gambit, whatcha think?" She asked, pirouetting in front of him as he looked at her blankly, saying "'Bout what?"

"My hair, stupid! Wicked cool or what?"

"I'se a guy, Shockwave, guys don't notice stuff like that." Gambit spoke reasonably, trying to work out what was different this time.

"Bet you'd notice if I wasn't wearing…" Shockwave began threateningly, before she stopped dead and her jaw fell open. Gambit followed the teenager's eyes to see one of the other X-Men walking towards them, late for her next class. "Wow! Jubes! Great colour!"

"Thanks Sam." Jubilation Lee smiled at her pupil, eyes dancing. Gambit could only form one word. "Blue?"

"How come you noticed that and not mine?" Sam pointed out indignantly. Gambit just shrugged and grinned.

"Her head turn blue, it not hard to notice…" Sam looked like she was going to argue some more, but at that moment a somewhat familiar but long-unheard voice spoke up from just inside the front door. "Anybody home?"

"KITTY!" Jubilee squealed, charging towards her former classmate like a woman possessed, blue hair dancing and trainers squeaking on the floor. She went to hug her friend, only to be disappointed when Shadowcat used her powers to let Jubilee phase right through her and miss. "Cow! I only wanted to welcome you home! Where you been girl?"

"Sorry Jubilee," Kitty laughed, flicking her long brown ponytail back over her shoulder. "I thought I was getting attacked by some blue-haired freak. Oh, wait, I was!"

"Now that why blue hair more noticeable than yours, Cherie." Gambit grinned conspiringly at Shockwave. "More chance to wind Jubilee up, non?" Sam only snorted in Gambit's vague direction and left, disgusted.

"Didn't some ex of yours have blue hair, Gambit?" Jubilee pointed out indignantly.

"Yeah but on you it a walkin' joke, Jubes…" Remy laughed. "Jus' take my advice, stay outta Logan's road for a while, okay? Good to have you back Shadowcat." He nodded to the long-absent Kitty, and then stalked off in the direction of the lower levels.

"Totally." Jubilee affirmed, catching Kitty off guard this time and hugging her properly.

"Good to be back." Kitty answered, honestly returning the hug. "I'm just sorry it took me this long to realise where I belong. And about Peter of course."

"Yeah, me too." Jubilee replied sadly, before another dramatic change of mood. "But you're back! Promise me it's for good! Promise!"

"I'm not promising you anything, Jubes!" Kitty teased, emphasising the 'you'. "C'mon, I'm starved, you got any pizza in?"


	5. 05

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 05 

"I can't believe you're actually reading that thing, Sam." Vertigo moaned, brushing her thick white hair as she perched on her dorm bed in her dressing gown. Shockwave was already in her own, covers tugged up to her ears, propped up somewhat uncomfortably on her elbows. The Apocalypse book lay on her pillow, and in the low light from her bedside lamp, the pages seemed to glow ever so softly.

When Sam didn't reply to Vertigo, Wolfsbane dropped to sit on the older teenager's bedside. In a hunter's reflex, the metamorph grabbed the book from right under Sam's nose and slammed it shut. The sudden noise made Iona jump. Not even supposed to be in here after curfew, she could only hope none of the X-Men came to check up on the sound's source.

"What did you do that for?" Sam accosted her friend angrily, swinging upright to grab the book and causing a frantic tug of war. Annoyed, Wolfsbane pulled back on the tome sharply, and then let go, sending Sam crashing backwards onto her bed. The book landed on the floor, spilling open to a page close to its centre. A huge maul of symbols covered both pages in blood-black script. Even as she looked at it, Wolfsbane could feel her hackles rising. She had been right, this book had some power to it.

"Keep your hairy hands off my things, Wolfie!" Sam snapped, recovering herself enough to dive for the book. But their mini-fight had unnerved the blonde, and her finger bones had begun their trademark vibrating. She touched the book before she realised, suddenly thinking 'No!' as she waited for the book to be destroyed by her mutation. But nothing happened.

"What the?" Vertigo demanded of no one in particular as Shockwave picked up the book, still using her powers. The tome remained unbroken, but as the girls watched something else started to happen. The writing began to glow over the spread of the pages. A low humming, separate from that associated with Shockwave's power, filled the air. Unbidden, the four girls gathered around the open pages in Shockwave's hands. Wolfsbane was the first to reach out, to brush the pages with her hand, but Iona and Vertigo had no second thoughts about joining her.

The door burst open, and all four girls screamed as Sam slammed the book shut. Logan stormed into the room, sniffing heavily, muscles in his arms tensed as thought any second he would unleash the fury of his claws on them. The girls stopped screaming and looked at him, shocked. Sam didn't know why, but she hid the book behind her back.

"What's goin' on?" Logan demanded, turning back to the girls after storming past them once. They just looked at him. "There's somethin' goin' on. I can feel it. What is it?"

"Wow, somebody's paranoid." Vertigo recovered herself the quickest, staring Logan down, knowing he couldn't meet her eyes for long without feeling dizzy. "There's nothing going on Wolverine. Now if you don't mind?" She indicated to the door, ushering him out of their room with both hands.

"Logan," Cyclops was stood in the doorway, carefully not putting a foot over the threshold into the girl's dorm. "What are you doing?"

"I…" Logan glanced around at all of them, confused and hating it. "Never mind."

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"Now arriving at gate seven, the delayed flight x-two-one-seven-five from Hawaii."

The nasal voice of the airport announcer rang through the sterile corridors and arcades as Gambit meandered his way lazily to the arrival lounge. They'd be ages yet, collecting their luggage and floundering their way through security. For this part of their vacation at least, it was rather them than him.

He was right, and they were ages. Leaning against a dull concrete pillar Gambit had even started to nod off in the warm stale air of the arrivals lounge. First he knew of Storm and Blaze's arrival was a familiar English voice threatening to steal the car keys and leave him sleeping.

"I'se not asleep." He protested sluggishly, peeling his eyes open, and then grinned. "What no grass skirts mes Amies?"

"Didn't think one would suit you." Storm commented lightly, returning the smile as Blaze laughed. Remy was forced to admit they looked fantastic. Even despite the delayed flight, both women were crease-free and sparkly-eyed. Storm, with her shoulder length white hair pulled back into a ponytail, looked younger and more at ease with her self than he had ever seen her. Glowing, Gambit surmised.

Blaze was tanned and radiant too, her nose and cheekbone dusted with cute freckles. Not particularly tall, the delicate fire elemental had her long mass of red curls dripping in ringlets down her back, tamed today with a small wooden clasp at the base of her neck. Her brown eyes and long eyelashes gave her the melting look of a fawn, but the wicked curve to her full rose pout suggested this fawn could pack a kick. Gambit knew better than most what a kick his former apprentice could pack.

"Make yourself useful Rem." Blaze admonished him with a hand on her hip, knee length pale blue skirts swirling. Both women wore fitted shirts tied up to show flat stomachs, proving their tan lines were minimal, though Storm had chosen soft natural cotton slacks with her sandals rather than a skirt. "Grab the luggage, Storm and I are whacked…"

"So how was Hawaii?" Gambit let a touch of jealously slip into his voice, more for effect now than anything. He could have gone, if he'd really insisted, but the price would have been one of the girls staying at home. Looking at how relaxed they both looked as he took over the luggage trolley, he was suddenly very glad he hadn't deprived one of them of that. Remy just hoped their good moods could last.

"Hot, fun, gorgeous… No, wait, that was just Storm." Blaze smiled, walking to Gambit's left as Ororo took place to the right and they headed for the car. "Hawaii was lovely though."

"Very." Storm agreed, but forever an X-Man she was already thinking about business. "Did we miss anything whilst we were gone?"

"A few scraps up in Maine, more Apocalypse fanatics, but nothin' we couldn't handle." Gambit shrugged it off as a pair of automatic doors slid open to allow them to leave the terminal building. "Professor callin' a staff meetin' when you get back…"

"A staff meeting? Not a debriefing?" Have you been having problems with the kids?" Blaze was a diligent teacher, and always concerned about the children.

"Couple of wild ones, Shockwave an' co…"

"Again?" Storm asked, shaking her head, good mood from her vacation starting to fade. "They've only just finished their last punishment. What did they do this time?"

"Went to Diego's…" Gambit shook his head as Blaze smirked. Trust Shockwave and co to pick the one bar where at least one X-Man could usually be found most nights of the week… "Xavier's not happy, an' seein' as you got a tutee each…"

"…He's not happy at us either." Storm sighed.

"Well, we're not home yet." Blaze smiled at her friends. "And we can always just say the flight was delayed some more… Anyone else want to go get a drive through? The food on the plane was inedible even in my book…"


	6. 06

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 06 

"Blaze, what are you doing?" Storm asked from the front passenger seat of the open-topped jeep that Gambit had borrowed from Ilehana to come pick them up. Gambit, one hand on the wheel and one arm draped over the side of the car, just shook his head as Blaze extracted herself from the pile of luggage she was sat with. Pulling forward using the car's roll cage, Blaze leant forward between the two front seats and started messing with the radio.

"I-pod…" Blaze muttered by way of explanation, sitting back again and tucking her feet up underneath her. A small gadget in her hand was her latest toy, the adaptor she'd just set up pumping the music from the I-pod through the car stereo. The wind teased her hair into knots as she flicked through tracks to find the one she wanted.

"You better pick somethin' good, Petite." Gambit smiled, "There be none of your English trash in this car, okay?"

"English what?" Blaze replied accusingly, eyes meeting Gambit's in the rear view mirror as she returned his grin. "And what was the last album you bought Cajun? Here, this should do you…" The song was an ultimate summer rock anthem; Remy listened for a second, and then reached over to turn the volume up. Storm smiled and leant back in her seat. It might not be as hot as Hawaii, but somehow she still felt that she was on vacation. And with trouble waiting for them back at the mansion, she like Blaze wanted to drag that feeling out for as long as possible.

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"What are you doing? Sam'll kill you Ver!" Wolfsbane whispered frantically as Vertigo less than subtly removed the pillows from Sam's bed and tossed them onto the floor. Unsatisfied, the white haired mutant knelt on the floor and reached her hand right under the bed. "Yuk." Vertigo moaned, finding only a smelly sock and a long forgotten jawbreaker.

"Looking for this?" Shockwave waltzed in, strode right onto her bed and from there stared down at Vertigo with the book in hand. "I had a feeling you might be wanting to steal this, so I've been keeping it with me."

"I only want to look at it Shockwave." Vertigo replied. "It's a library book remember, you can't keep it forever."

"Yeah!" Wolfsbane chipped in. Up until now she hadn't thought about it, but at the sight of the book she wanted to read more. "Stop hogging it Sam!"

"Hey you're the animorph Wolfie, you can't call me a pig!" Sam cackled, making snorting noises, but showing no sign of letting either of them touch the book.

"Oh act your age." Vertigo moaned. "And get down from there." Raising her hands, Vertigo unleashed a rainbow streamer of her power. For a moment, Sam wobbled and giggled- it was just like being really, really drunk. But suddenly her legs gave way and she collapsed cross-legged on the duvet. "Bitch." She glared at Vertigo.

"Look!" Wolfsbane snapped, brown eyes wide and disbelieving. "It's doing it again!" And sure enough, once again the book was throbbing with strange light.

"Do it again Ver!" Sam demanded. "Blast it, I want to see what happens!"

"What if its not…" 'Safe' had been Wolfsbane's next word, but Vertigo was already aiming her powers. The throbbing, pulsing light increased, and they could almost hear a male voice laughing at them. A strange, deep, ageless voice drenched in malice and chaos.

"Wicked…" Vertigo exclaimed, out of breath after her exertion.

"Its our secret." Wolfsbane was adamant. "Nobody else can know what we've found out…"

"Not even the X-Men? Not even the Professor?" Vertigo asked.

"They've had their chance, this book's been in the library for who knows how long." Sam decreed. "Its ours now, the three of us…"

"Four of us." Vertigo corrected. "We can't leave Iona out."

"But she's just a kid…" Sam moaned.

"A kid who could spill on us if we don't include her." Wolfsbane pointed out. "I agree with Vertigo."

"The four of us." Sam accepted it, hugging the book to her chest. "We are gonna find out every secret this book holds…"

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Unpacking, as far as Blaze was concerned, involved turning her suitcase upside down, and shaking everything but the kitchen sink out of it. Sat on her bed, slurping on the last of his coke from the drive through, Gambit had to laugh at her.

"I think half of Hawaii's sand has ended up in my shoes." Blaze moaned comically, turning a shoe upside down and letting a ribbon of sand wash over her fingers. She was sat elegantly on the floor, not that it was visible around her anymore for all the suitcase's contents.

"So if Storm got the other half in her shoes, there ain't no sand left on the island…" Gambit observed, making Blaze shrug as she gave up and tossed the shoe over her shoulder and into a corner. "How many pairs of sunglasses can you wear at once, Blaze?"

"I haven't got that many." Blaze defended herself, plucking three pairs out of the heap and putting them on top of the chest of draws.

"You forgot the ones on your head." Remy pointed out.

"No I didn't." Blaze told him, unravelling her hair from that pair too and putting them by the bed. There was absolutely no order to where she kept things that Gambit had ever managed to work out, not in all the years he'd known her. But then again, since arriving at the mansion the sheer amount of girly stuff she owned had increased exponentially in size. He was almost sure she'd never been quite this girly when it was just the two of 'em… "What are you thinking?" She asked, looking up at him curiously.

"Not much." He answered honestly enough. "The Professor gonna be waitin' for you…"

"I know, I know…" Blaze sighed. "And I do want to get Iona straightened out. Its just…"

"Just what Petite?"

"Just I don't know where to start. I'm fine when it comes to teaching languages, or even how to control mutant powers, but I don't know the first thing about sorting out a troublesome teenage girl."

"Then you come to the right guy, non?" Gambit laughed, offering Blaze a hand to come perch next to him. As he leant against the wall, she sat at a right angle to him, cross-legged now with her bare knee touching his thigh. "I not do so bad a job with you, did I?"

"I guess not." Blaze smiled. "I suppose should take some comfort in that. Even if I do mess up, she could turn out alright anyway, just like I did…"

"Thanks, Chere." Gambit was sarcastic, but Blaze just laughed it off and kissed his cheek.

"I gotta go, but if you want to finish unpacking for me…"

"You mean throwin' everythin' in different directions 'til the pile don't look so big…" Gambit corrected.

"Exactly." Blaze agreed, "I'll buy you a night out for it, I just cannot be bothered." And with that she sprung back off the bed again, opened the door and headed back to the real world. For a minute Gambit looked at the mess she'd left behind, before getting up himself and leaving. She could buy him a night out by all means, but cleaning up after her was above and beyond the call of duty…


	7. 07

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 07 

The staff meeting between the Professor, Blaze, Storm, Cyclops and Vixen lasted a good hour. The only thing that was really decided was that they had to try and split the four girls up as much as possible, get them working in with other children in class in the hope of them forming less troublesome alliances. Convinced the four girls egged each other on, their four tutors completely understood why it was so important that they kept up their sessions as often as possible. It was the only way to show the four teenagers that the X-Men still did see them as separate people, and that they could make decisions for themselves.

"Cyclops?" Xavier called his team leader back to him as the others left the room. "There is one more thing. Samantha's father, Senator Hawley, has been on the phone again, and welcome change as it is to have a parent truly interested in what we do here, he does need setting at ease…"

"Let me guess, Professor." Cyclops grinned. "He's been talking your ear off so much even you've lost patience with him."

"Something like that." Xavier smiled knowingly. "I've arranged for him to come in and talk to you, if that's alright?"

"Of course Professor." Cyclops nodded. "Leave it with me."

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Not much later, Blaze was again avoiding unpacking, sat in the rec. room catching up on the gossip with Logan, Remy and Bobby. At least, that was how it had started, until Logan had responded to Gambit's tale of the girls at Diego's with his own story of hearing something in their room the night before. Now the conversation had descended into a battle as to who could insult Wolverine the most…

"Maybe you hit the beer too hard last night, non?" Gambit was on a roll and he knew it. "You start hearin' t'ings again, we have to cut down your drinkin' Wolverine."

"Shut it Gumbo." Logan snapped back, leaning on the window ledge with his arms folded.

"Chill Logan, Gambit's only winding you up." Bobby pointed out from his chair by the foosball table he called home.

"Easy for you to say." Wolverine commented in reply. "I know what I heard, okay? There was somethin' goin' on in that room."

"Or maybe you jus' wish there was, eh Logan? Stormin' into a dorm full of teenage girls…" Blaze and Bobby racked into hysterical laughter as Logan fought the impulse to smack Gambit's face in. "Easy, Mon Ami!" Gambit held up his hands appeasingly.

"Maybe it was a ghost or something, Logan." Bobby tried to calm the situation by changing the subject.

"You not sayin' you believe in ghosts eh Iceman? How old you t'ink you is?" Gambit grinned, rolling his eyes sceptically.

"I'm not saying I do." Bobby protested, "I'm just saying it's as good an explanation for Logan losing his marbles as any."

"I'm not losing my marbles…" Logan continued to protest, but no one was listening.

"Just 'cause you're sceptic of the year, Rem. Maybe the mansion is haunted." Blaze argued, but she was smiling.

"Hey, jus' 'cause you go in for all that meditation mumbo-jumbo Blaze." Gambit grinned.

"And you think that makes me deluded?" Blaze countered, turning to meet Gambit's eyes as he sat next to her on the big sofa.

"I'se know you deluded, Cherie, that just proves it." Blaze stuck her tongue out at Remy, flicking her curls back over her shoulder. Gambit reached across the sofa to mess up her hair, making Blaze scowl truculently.

"Would you teach me to meditate Blaze?" Bobby asked as Blaze wriggled away from Gambit to stand up energetically.

"'Course I will." She replied as Logan began his grumbling again. "Look, can we get back to the point here?"

"I thought you didn't want us to wind you up about last night?" Blaze asked him curiously, making him scowl at her.

"I only brought it up at all because Iona was there, and I thought she was supposed to be in her own dorm with the younger girls? She's your tutee Blaze, so sort it out will you?"

"And while you're at it, maybe you could ask her if she's seen Logan's ghost?" Bobby quipped comically, making Blaze and Gambit laugh again.

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"So can anybody tell me what it is a peacock is trying to say with a tail so elaborate?" Ilehana Xavier asked her class, perching on the edge of her desk, predatory eyes wandering over her pupils. With the way that the school recruited its pupils having to be so fluid, the classes weren't divided up so much on age or ability as they might be elsewhere. It certainly made teaching more interesting and challenging anyway, not that it needed to be when the classes were invariably children still learning to control their mutant powers…

"Look at me?" Sam Hawley answered, waving her hand in the air, making the rest of the class stifle their giggles. Shockwave ignored them, glowing as Ilehana nodded.

"Exactly that. And the bigger and brighter his tail is, the more peahens seem to like him." Vixen nodded to her fellow X-Man as the door opened and closed. "Perhaps Blaze can tell us why that might be the case?"

"Because," Blaze answered with a knowing grin as the class turned to look at her. "If he's going to run around looking like that much of an idiot, he's got to have something else good going for him or someone would have put him out of his misery already." Ilehana nodded, returning the smile, as Blaze turned to why she was there. "Can I steal Iona please Vixen?"

Iona suddenly squirmed in her seat as Vertigo and Wolfsbane gave her sympathetic looks. Sam just folded her arms and sulked that the attention been taken away from her answer by Blaze's. Ilehana agreed that Iona could go, and suddenly Iona realised that they were waiting for her to move.

"Sorry…"The young girl muttered as she darted past Blaze out into the corridor. The redhead sighed and reached out to put a hand on the back of her tutee's shoulder. "Not so fast, Iona. Calm down, will you?"

"Are you gonna tell me off now you're back too?" Iona asked turning to face Blaze but not meeting her teacher's eyes as she shifted the school bag on her shoulder. Blaze just shook her head.

"The Professor's much better at things like that than me." Laura smiled. "Come on, its too nice a day to be stuck inside. Lets go out to the gazebo and talk…"


	8. 08

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 08 

"So if you're not going to shout at me, why have you pulled me out of lessons?" Iona asked as though she was grievously hurt at not having to sit through biology. Blaze shook her head in wonder; she had a heck of a lot of work to do to get this girl to trust her. Absently she found herself wondering how long it had taken her to start trusting Gambit…

They reached the small lawn and it circle of protective trees, and the little gazebo sat by it, without Blaze answering Iona's question. The teenager sighed heavily, wearily, as Blaze indicated she plonk herself down on the lawn. It certainly was a nice day, and being out here did beat being sat in a dark and smelly classroom, but she was still dreading what Blaze might have to say to her.

"What's wrong Iona?" It was the last question Iona had expected Blaze to start with, and shocked her enough that she met the young woman's eyes. "We were getting along just fine when you first arrived, but now… Is it because I've been away? Have I let you down by not being here?" There was deep guilt in Blaze's voice that made Iona desperate to set things right.

"No, no, of course not! It's not you Blaze, I swear. I know what we did the other night was wrong, but I'm just sick of being reminded of it already, you know? I really didn't want you to find out about it. Silly I know…"

"Yep." Blaze grinned, relieved. "You should know nothing stays secret around here for long…"

"And especially not when Shockwave is involved." Iona shook her head in wonder. "I don't know how she does it…"

"Look, Iona. I know Nightcrawler meant well by asking Vertigo to look out for you, but have you maybe thought that she, Shockwave and Wolfsbane might be a little old for you as friends? If they're getting into going to bars already…"

"You sound like my mother." Iona responded waspishly. "I'll be friends with who I want, thanks very much. And I'm not that much younger."

"And now you sound like me…" Blaze marvelled, "Telling Gambit I'll date who I want and he can get stuffed."

"Why would it be any of his business?" Iona looked confused.

"Don't worry about it." The redheaded former thief shrugged off the probe into her past. "I just want you to know I'm always right here Iona. Anytime you want to talk. Now, how have your powers been holding up?"

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'Film night' was a Bobby invention, but one well received by X-Men and kids equally. The projector was set up in the rec. room with big screen and surround sound, the room packed to the rafters with mutant bodies. This week the film had some improbable title about some kind of fish, and as it was far from compulsory, a few faces were missing.

With the staff otherwise distracted, Sam and the others were gathered upstairs. All they needed was for the film to begin, providing their cover to stop Logan or anyone else barging in their room. As the smallest, Iona was their natural choice of spy, clinging to a banister halfway down the stairs and peering in the direction of the rec. room. But Sam being Sam wasn't confident about a job being done properly unless she did it herself. Tapping Iona on the shoulder she bid the younger teen to move out of the way. It wasn't worth it for Iona to argue, sighing as she gave up her uncomfortable seat.

Downstairs there was still a great deal of to-ing and fro-ing as the trailers started. Kids suddenly decided they were hungry, or needed the bathroom, or didn't want to sit next to whoever they were. The X-Men were mostly acting as shepherds, recollecting and distributing the audience with amusement. Finally all seemed to be ready, and Sam turned to Iona to signal that they should move back to the dorm. But sudden laughter from the rec. room was Blaze and Gambit getting thrown out by Iceman and Logan. Sam just had to know what was going on…

"And stay out!" Bobby finished, absurdly dusting his hands off, blue eyes twinkling. Iceman disappeared, but Gambit and Blaze didn't even look phased as they headed for the front door. It was only then that Sam realised both were dressed for a night on the town. Gambit had braved the realms of shirt and shoes; Blaze was in thigh-high socks and ludicrously short miniskirt.

"Sure you don't want to come Logan?" It was Blaze who asked, whilst being shoved towards the door by an impatient Remy. At the same time Gambit picked up two conveniently abandoned motorbike helmets and dropped one in Blaze's hands. She was going to ride a bike in that skirt? Only in America, thought Sam.

"Don't think it'll really be my scene." Logan pointed out, arms folded but smiling.

"Well, don't wait up." Blaze waved bye, turning the tables on Gambit as she set off determinedly for the door. Sam couldn't help herself, left her hiding place and dropped a couple of stairs towards them.

"Can I come?" As soon as she'd said it she knew how lame it sounded, and she felt herself get angry as the three adults just looked at her.

"Sure Petite." Gambit finally answered with a shrug. "We still be doin' this when you twenty-one."

"Speak for yourself, Rem." Blaze laughed, grabbing his wrist and dragging him to the waiting bike. Logan shook his head at Sam despairingly and followed them out. Gambit was already starting the engine as Blaze put on her helmet and climbed on behind him. No doubt the teetotal girl would be driving back in the early hours after Remy had had a few. The redhead wrapped her arms tight around Remy's shoulders, an action that seemed his cue to go, as Logan saluted them goodbye.

"I'm sorry we're just not good enough for you, Shockwave." Iona cornered the older girl angrily on the stairs.

"What are you talking about?" Sam went to stride past her, but Iona sidestepped on the landing to block her way. Downstairs there was a thud as Logan shut the door to disappear back into the rec. room.

"Don't you want to go through with this now? How old do you think you are, tryin' to get a ticket out of here on the back of Gambit's bike?"

"Is it my fault I'm sick of all this kid stuff?" Sam bit back defensively. "I could pass for twenty-one at fourteen! Staying home and babysitting you lot is just…"

"Babysitting us? I hate to point this out, Sam, but you're being babysat yourself!"

"Whatever." Sam pushed Iona aside and headed back towards the dorm room. "Lets go see if this book can really make life around here a little more interesting…"


	9. 09

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 09 

The tension in the air was tangible as the two girls rejoined their friends. In the breeze from the open window, the pages of the open book seemed to have a life of their own, flickering backwards and forwards like lightning across the deep black sky. It lay in the centre of the floor, propped up at an angle on an old shoebox of Sam's, almost like an icon on some mystical altar. Unnerved by her spat with Sam, wondering what had given her the nerve to argue with the older girl, Iona took her seat on Vertigo's bed.

Shockwave didn't instantly sit, shutting the door behind her and latching the lock. Nobody said anything or asked what she was doing as she wandered next around the room, lighting a few scattered candles with a lighter. Sam then switched on the bedside lamps, rather than having the room illuminated by the big central light. The only thing any of the others thought on Sam's strange behaviour was why none of them had thought of it before.

The distracted laughter that echoed up from downstairs was an uncomfortable interruption to their individual musings. Sam sat on her bed, so now the four girls surrounded the book on each side. Still not one of them spoke, eyes drifting from the book to the others and back to the tome again. The atmosphere seemed almost thick with power, like incense, although it could have been the flowering honeysuckle below their window. A sickly sweet stench, it made Wolfsbane want to sneeze in disgust. Fighting the impulse unless one of the others took offence to the action, Wolfsbane rubbed her sensitive nose with the back of a hand and didn't make eye contact as Vertigo looked at her.

"So…" Vertigo began, before clearing her throat and starting again, the energy that drifted unseen between them all and the book making the hairs on the back of her neck tingle as though she was afraid. "So, does anybody have any ideas where we're supposed to start?"

For a moment again, nobody answered. Sam was staring at the book, frowning, as though it was talking to her. Could she hear something the others couldn't, Iona pondered. In the ominous darkness it was hard to easily dismiss the idea. Iona didn't know what disturbed her the most, that Sam might be hearing voices from the book, or that the book was talking to Sam and not to her.

"We've tried randomly blasting it. We know what happens then." Shockwave spoke softly, voice much more even than Vertigo's had been just moments before. "We need to try and understand some of the symbols, see if any of them will channel our powers in different ways…" Shockwave's deep dark eyes met Wolfsbane's with a look that was electrifyingly intense. Wolfsbane gulped, but nodded and made her way to the floor. Like a nun at prayer she knelt besides the heavy tome, her fingers reaching out gently to brush the soft leather pages, the symbols written in blood.

"I don't understand it all." She admitted; comforted slightly when Iona came to kneel besides her friend, and at the same time suddenly very possessive that she was the only one who could read what the book said. "But this symbol here comes up a lot. I recognise it, its similar to the Ancient Norse word for Power. The same here, the word for Gift… And this one… World's End."

"A way to give power to Apocalypse…" Vertigo surmised, voice breathless and guttural. "What do we get in return I wonder?"

"Only one way to find out." Iona answered, big eyes captivated by the writing she couldn't understand, but that seemed to dance in the firelight on the page in front of her. She reached out; the treacherous touch of her mutant power a longing within her to be set free. For a moment, there was a small fear inside of her like there had been with Sam that she might damage the book. But again, the pages were not scalded by her powers, and slowly the words on the page began to glow…

Downstairs, screams filled the air where laughter had played before, as the state-of-the-art projector exploded in a shower of golden sparks. Suddenly the whole mansion was plunged into darkness so complete, so suffocating like had never been seen before, amplified by the new moon outside. Storm felt sudden panic overwhelm her, even though she knew where she had been not seconds before, her claustrophobia could not differentiate between darkness in an open space and darkness in a shallow grave… Logan smelt her fear, used his mutant senses to reach her through the crowd of panicked kids, as over it all Scott tried to bring order to the chaos.

"Storm, Storm, its okay…" He tried to soothe his friend, but she was a wreck already. "Ilehana?" He asked of the presence next to him, hoping she could help.

"I'll look after her. Go check the circuit breakers." Vixen remained calm, like Logan just switching to using her other senses if her eyes no longer worked. In her case, they included telepathy, a skill she used now to calm Storm as Logan did as he was told.

"There is no need to panic." Half spoken words, half telepathic command, Xavier Senior arrived in the room almost lazily. "Jubilee, some light if you don't mind?"

Jubilee did as she was asked; balling her hands together she employed her power to make a blue sheen like a child's nightlight in the centre of the room. All eyes seemed to suddenly be on her, but she held firm. And as another mutant, a teenage boy named Berserker did a similar trick with his pale orange energy; the room began to be a cosily lit refuge in a sea of dark and troubled faces.

"Now," Xavier began as if he were addressing a scout campfire "Is everybody here?" There were vague nods, and nobody spoke out that anyone was missing. "Good. Well then, when I was a boy, a blackout like this was always a good excuse to tell ghost stories… Speak up; does anyone have a good one? Shadowcat, perhaps you know one that would do?"

"Of course Professor." Kitty smiled, "But mine's a true story. It all happened not so long ago, in a house not too different to this one…"

In the room upstairs, the lamps had fizzed out, but the few scattered candles still burned luminously. With a gasp, Iona pulled her fingers away from the pages of the book grimly. The other girls blinked as their eyes adapted to the lower light and they glanced at each other nervously. Vertigo offered Iona a hand as the smaller girl scrabbled her way back to her seat on the bed like a small and very scared mouse. Vertigo could hardly blame the kid; she was shaking a little herself as she put a comforting arm around Iona.

"My turn…" Wolfsbane was captivated, predatory eyes glowing and intense like the other girls had never seen in her before. Suddenly it wasn't so hard to believe that she was a werewolf, tied to dark natural forces not another amongst them understood.

"But you can't blast it…" Sam began, pointing out the crucial difference between Wolfsbane's powers and the others. But Wolfsbane had already thought of that. Shrugging off her jumper and kicking off her shoes, the animorph concentrated hard. Slowly, very slowly at first but picking up speed all the time, a russet-grey wolf took form where the girl had been sat, its left forepaw touching a page of the mysterious book. Snarling as she shook herself free of the binding human clothes, Wolfsbane pushed her claws into the page so hard that blood began to flow. Blood from the writing, or blood from the force of her own claws being pushed back into her foot through the invincible nature of the tome, no one could tell.

"Wolfsbane, stop it!" Vertigo was scared now; the way the wolf stared at the tome, as if she were reading the strange symbols over and over to herself, was too much. But as she started forward, leaving Iona alone and unprotected to pull her other friend away, the wolf turned on her, madness glinting behind her empty eyes…


	10. 10

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 10 

Wolfsbane snarled, baring long white canines and red, red gums. The low rumble in the back of the wolf's throat was more threatening than a peal of thunder on the horizon. In the breeze from the window, the candles began to flicker, and several blew out. The russet wolf's eyes glowed, and she took a step towards Vertigo…

The violet-eyed girl froze, hand shaking involuntarily in mid air. One pounce, and those sharp white teeth would close around her wrist; tear her hand from her arm. But Vertigo couldn't move…

In a flurry of activity, Shockwave dived over the length of her bed and slammed a hand to the wall. The jarring vibrations of her fingers rippled into the wallpaper like an earthquake, reverberating around the room, spewing dust and confetti into the air. Then the shockwave punched into the door, splintered the wood, fractured the lock and made the door swing open violently. Wolfsbane glanced hesitantly from Vertigo to Sam to the door; tail low and ears flat back against her skull. Then she ran, out the door and away. Iona got up and slammed the door shut behind the fleeing wolf.

Downstairs, Shadowcat had her audience on tenterhooks, clinging to her every word as she built the suspense. Even the X-Men, knowing with the scepticism of age that every word she said was false, found they were enjoying the melodic flow of her story, let themselves be carried away.

"…In the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a movement. Spinning, scared and uncertain, he saw the shadow flit from doorpost to doorpost in the hallway. Something was stalking him. A werewolf…"

Bobby twitched in the dark, head snapping towards the doorway, he was sure he had just seen something… Something low and wolf-like, slinking past the door… But now there was nothing there… He shook his head, bewildered. Give Kitty some credit; she was an excellent storyteller. He just hoped this fabrication wouldn't give him nightmares, let alone the kids…

Logan had somehow found a flashlight. It shouldn't have been that much of a surprise, there were emergency supplies supposed to be kept in set places throughout the school and lower levels. But it was amazing how often a torch would grow legs and walk in a mansion full of young boys… Flicking on the flashlight Logan headed outside to what was un-affectionately termed the maintenance shed. It housed the school's circuit breakers and the transformers that hooked the school up to the local supplier. The lower levels had their own generator, but for security and plausible deniability, it wasn't connected to the rest of the building. If there was a problem with the circuits in the school itself, it was inside this concrete bomb shelter that Logan would probably find it.

The colourless light from the torch danced over the short shorn, pallid grass as Logan stalked towards the shed. The grounds were deathly quite, the numbness of the new moon turning the trees and lawns into ghostly silhouettes and empty, soulless spaces. The breeze carried to him the smells of dew-dampened earth, of the trashcans behind the maintenance shed, of blades of grass crushed under his feet. But not of her, for she stalked the Wolverine downwind…

Torch grasped between his thick neck and shoulder, Logan searched his pockets for the micro-chipped access card he needed to get into the bunker. It was in here somewhere, he'd only had it two seconds ago… Ah, got it… Suddenly, he stopped, sniffing, listening… A wolf?

"Ilehana?" He asked, starting to turn and realising his mistake as the heavy weight of a juvenile grey wolf landed on his shoulders, claws raking his back. The flashlight fell to the floor, rolled away into the grass, dancing like a ghostly candle. Logan hollered in pain as Wolfsbane dragged her back legs down his spine, making him stagger and crash into the concrete building as blood ran from the wounds. Her heavy breath on his neck eased for a second, and then she was snapping at him, aiming for the jugular, aiming for a killing bite.

Logan snapped, roaring in a feral rage, adimantium claws slipping through his hands as he grabbed the wolf off his own back by the scruff of her neck. This wolf was not much more than a cub; she couldn't rival him in a fight. But nobody had told Wolfsbane that, twisting and snarling in Logan's grasp, she wrangled her way free leaving him with a handful of red-grey fur. Dropping to all fours, she snarled at him, the hunger and desperation in her belly forcing her to stand her ground. He faced her, knowing she'd lunge again, knowing again she'd go either for his throat or his soft belly.

She went for the belly, teeth tearing his t-shirt; weight and pain making him slip backwards on the dewy grass. Damn she was quick! He was down and bleeding before he knew what was happening, his blood plastering the fur on her muzzle as she looked at him briefly struggling in his pain.

"Wolfsbane…" Wolverine gasped, claws retracting unbidden, but she didn't know who she was. Baring her blood-plastered teeth, she went to finish him, to tear out his guts and feast. But Logan wasn't done. In one smooth movement, he ignored the pain, the bleeding and took hold of the wolf by her muzzle. She struggled, kicking, but with a brutish roar he lunged back to his feet and slammed her skull into the concrete of the bunker. For a moment she whimpered as he let her body slip to the floor, supporting himself with both hands on the concrete. Then she was still. Logan groaned.

"Great, now we got rabid pupils on the loose…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ilehana smelt the blood drifting in from the hallway, stood and moved quickly but quietly through the children. She choked back on a wild panic as she recognised the scent, Logan… His familiar silhouette was framed in the doorway; his breathing heavy and shoulders slumped. Already his wounds were nearly healed, but his t-shirt and jeans were shredded, seemingly only stuck to him through the blood that soaked them. Exhausted and somewhat disgusted, Logan stopped as he saw Ilehana approach. Slowly he lifted the unconscious juvenile wolf slightly by her thick scruff, before dropping Wolfsbane rather unsympathetically on the floor.

"I think she bit off more than she could chew…"

"Wolfsbane attacked you?" Vixen demanded, shocked but knowing it was the truth before Logan even had time to nod. Suddenly, the mansion's lights flickered and came back on. The projector started rolling again right from where the film had left off, the actors' laughter strangely ominous now rather than amusing. The children all looked at each other as the X-Men extracted themselves and came into the hall.

"You managed to get the lights working?" Cyclops asked, bemused as everyone as Ilehana went to Wolfsbane's side, checking the teenager was still breathing.

"Didn't get in the shed." Logan grunted, squinting at the sudden brightness. He didn't protest as the mansion's doctor turned her attentions to him, Ilehana's soft fingers exploring his rapidly fading scars and the slimy wetness of his blood soaked clothes. "All clear Doc?"

"As usual." Ilehana answered with a wry smile, but it only covered the disappointment in her pupil with the lightest of facades. Logan found his anger and adrenaline from the fight subsiding as he put a light touch to Vixen's slender wrist.

"Need a hand getting her downstairs?" He asked, but she shook her head.

"Scott can help. Go get changed Logan, you're dripping on the floor…"


	11. 11

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 11 

Meanwhile, in a typically hot and steamy club, surrounded by typically hot and steamy clubbers, entranced by the throbbing music and the sparkling lights, Blaze fought her way back to where her drink was being guarded by Gambit. He sprawled unruffled and chilled on a leather sofa, feet on the low table, and watching everything with those unique eyes. Blaze smiled as she sat down daintily besides her old friend, swinging her tired feet round and planting them on the table too. Gambit dove hastily for his beer bottle before she knocked it over, more to wind her up than through any real danger of spillage. Blaze didn't let it bother her, taking her lemonade and saluting him with it.

"Cheers." She gasped, parched from dancing, but eyes enchanted and smile relaxed. She downed the lemonade in a few short gulps, leaving lipstick on the glass. Gambit returned the salute with his beer, before slurping from the bottle, equally relaxed as she was. Sighing and leaning back into the folds of the chair in this quieter corner of the club, Blaze watched the dancers as she spoke, humour in her voice. "Can you believe Shockwave? Did she actually think we'd take a fifteen-year-old out with us?"

"An' how old were you when I met you? Weren't we in the same bar all night?" Gambit pointed out, smiling.

"I was sixteen." Blaze answered mock-defensively. "And besides, that was totally different, and it's the legal drinking age in France…"

"I'se not even remember what it like to be that young no more, Petite." Gambit stretched as he spoke, extending his arms along the back of the sofa casually. The fingers of his left hand brushed Blaze's curls noncommittally, his eyes too watching the comings and goings of the dance floor.

"What, that bad you blocked it out?" Blaze only half-teased, knowing his earlier years, before he'd met her at eighteen, were one of very few tetchy subjects with the Cajun. But Gambit didn't take offence.

"Maybe, if I could remember I'd do better at tellin' you…" He grinned, and then unsurprisingly changed the subject, glancing over at his friend as he did. "So how the music?"

"Danceable." Blaze shrugged, not sure if she'd invented that word or not. "You interested?"

"No way I'se drunk enough yet," Remy smiled as Blaze glanced at him, their eyes locking. "But maybe later Cherie."

"Sounds like you've got tonight sussed, Rem." Blaze replied, leaning forward and away from his hand by her neck. Her feet back on the floor, she propped her chin in her palm, elbow on her knee. "Just no throwing up on the ride home, or I will leave you behind." Her chestnut eyes drifted back to the dance floor, and Gambit knew he was keeping her from her favourite pastime…

"Jus' go dance already little one." He more-or-less ordered, putting the empty beer bottle with its friends on the table. He didn't mask his disappointment as she did exactly that, getting up and leaving without so much as a backwards glance in his direction. Still, he definitely approved of the skirt…

He was still watching Blaze when the guy cut across her path, stopping dead in front of her. Gambit folded his arms, eyes narrowing; the usual touch of annoyance a familiar feeling when a guy hit on Blaze. But when the man didn't say anything, and Blaze tried to step round him, Gambit was not so much relieved as suddenly worried. Still silent, the man strode again into Blaze's path. Gambit could easily imagine Blaze's irritation as she tried to push past the dark, curly-haired and steely-eyed young man. She nearly made it, before a snap reaction from the guy grabbed her trailing arm.

Gambit was on his feet in an instant, striding over the table to back his friend up. Blaze turned to face the man, eyes fiery and hard, expression angry as she threw his hand off her skin. The man smiled, a cold, unpleasant smile as his fingers closed around Blaze's throat, pulling the small woman towards him, whispering heavily in her face. For a second Gambit thought that she'd just fry the loser. And it seemed so did Blaze. But whatever the guy said to her, it made the colour drain from her face, her muscles go limp, her eyes glazing over with worry. She gasped as he squeezed her throat harder, before forcefully lifting her from the floor and launching her at the wall.

Blaze hit the plaster hard, slumping to the floor, and Gambit was torn between chasing after the guy who'd hurt his friend and going to Blaze's side. The man had already started moving away through the crowds, a fistfight breaking out behind him almost as if he'd started it to block Gambit's path. But Remy had gone to Blaze, was dropping to one knee by her side and brushing a stray curl back from her face.

"You okay Petite?" He asked, depth of his worry clear in his voice.

"You don't know who that was, do you?" She asked, pushing his concern and his hand away, trying to get up. Gambit stood and offered her a hand, which she accepted to be pulled to her feet. But then she proceeded to ignore her friend, fighting her way through the crowd to try and spot her attacker again.

"Who was it? What he say to you? Blaze?" Gambit put a hand to her shoulder, making her stop and swing back around to face him.

"You know who he is, you just didn't recognise him. He knew who I was, knew I was an X-Man. I guess he just hadn't spotted you…"

"I don't get it, Laura…"

"He's one of Apocalypse's bodyguard, the Four Horsemen. He told me that Apocalypse was watching us, the X-Men. He told me to warn Xavier that it is nearly time, and the X-Men will soon fall…"

Gambit just looked at Blaze, watched the frantic intensity behind her beautiful eyes and realised how close Blaze had come to unleashing her powers. In this crowded room, the Horseman had known she couldn't fight back or she would kill innocent people. And he'd known that Blaze would take the message seriously, took her job with the X-Men seriously. The perfect little messenger, with ties to Apocalypse's Horsemen beyond just fighting them occasionally… And so Remy's thoughts came back to a question he did not know the answer to. Did Blaze still have feelings for Apocalypse's former slave Archangel? And would her need for vengeance on Apocalypse, for the man who'd lost his mind under Apocalypse's command, put her or the X-Men in danger if and when Apocalypse finally made his move?

"What are you looking at me like that for?" Blaze sounded a little more like her old self now, and Gambit was forced to shake free his dark thoughts to answer her evenly.

"I jus' don't like the sound of dis much, Chere. Lets go, we need to tell the Professor…"


	12. 12

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

**A/N:** Big thanks to my translator in all matters 'Wolf', otherwise known as Corrinth.

Scene 12 

"Hide the book."

The lights had been on only a few seconds, but a few seconds that dragged ominously as the three remaining confidents sat in shock on their beds and did nothing. It was Sam who finally broke the silence, her voice grating in her dry throat.

"Hide it. They're gonna come to ask us what happened. They'll take it away…" The panic in Shockwave's voice sent waves of sudden recognition over the pale visages of Iona and Vertigo. Vertigo dived for the precious tome; she couldn't bear to be parted from it, and flung it forcefully under her bed. Just in time too, as a sudden knock on the door preceded Cyclops and Jubilee's arrival.

"What's going on?" Cyclops demanded, walking into the room without hesitancy, finger on his visor as though the girls were his enemies. After seeing the state of Wolverine just a minute ago, he wasn't taking any chances.

"Oh Scott!" Iona threw herself from the bed, flung her arms around Cyclops' waist and hung on as if for dear life. Sam and Vertigo exchanged frantic looks. Was Iona going to tell the X-Men everything? Would she give up their precious book? But with Jubilee and Cyclops right there, how could they shut her up? It was all over… "Oh Scott it was terrible!" Iona continued, "Wolfsbane was acting up, messing about, you know? She… she was pretending she was really a dog, showing us tricks, and she… She just fell, Scott, she fell and landed right on her head…"

"She did what?" Cyclops asked, dropping his hand from his visor to place it on the shaking shoulder of the apparently distraught child. Vertigo and Shockwave caught on and nodded slowly, swapping amazed glances as Iona answered Scott's questions easily.

"She landed on her head, off that chest of draws right there… It's a long way down, Vertigo went to see if she was alright, but… But Wolfsbane just flipped, she went for Vertigo… If Shockwave hadn't got the door open I don't know what would have happened…"

Jubilee looked slowly around the room, seeing the trail of destruction where Shockwave's mutant attack had sliced through the wall to open the door. These poor kids… Cyclops had come to the same conclusion, was picking the dainty Iona up and stroking her frizzy hair.

"Its okay, Iona, its okay… Its all over…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wolfsbane had woken up quickly. Now she was systematically throwing her furry grey form at the door of the locked lower level room, furious and terrified. Watching her through the CCTV, Xavier and Ilehana were strangely silent, their joint mood troubled and concerned.

"She's still rejecting your telepathic approaches?" The Professor asked his daughter carefully, turning his trusting blue eyes on her.

"She doesn't want to know." Ilehana replied, blue eyes hard with her disappointment in her pupil. "What she did…"

"We don't know why she attacked Logan, Ilehana." Xavier reminded his daughter. "All you need to know is that she needs your help. No one else can help her through this…"

"Then we're going about this the wrong way. She's a wolf now, thinking like one, and a scared one at that. She won't respond to anything she doesn't understand."

"What are you suggesting?" The Professor asked his daughter pointedly, sensing her stubborn resolve. "If Wolfsbane turns on you…"

"She won't, Dad." Vixen was certain, kicking off her shoes and pulling her hair from her ponytail. "She's a lost cub, she needs an alpha, and you're right, I'm the only one who can give her that."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wolfsbane slammed herself into the solid silver door again, harder than she ever had before. The force of the impact sent her flying backwards, stunned her for a moment. And in that moment, the door opened with a swoosh.

The grey wolf that stood there was no juvenile. She was an alpha female, in the prime of her life, with black tips to the ears and tail, blonde highlights across the chest and muzzle. Wolfsbane pulled her feet under her, lifted her lips from her teeth in a silent snarl, but Vixen stood firm. The alpha didn't snarl, didn't yip, did nothing but stand in the doorway as the mechanism slid shut behind her, and silently demand that Wolfsbane meet her eyes.

Wolfsbane's ears slid back flat against her skull as her muscles tensed. Vixen knew the pup was going to charge without even having to think about it. Wolfsbane may think herself as closely related to wolves as humans, but it was Ilehana who had lived with a pack on and off for years, knew every nuance of wolf body language and behaviour like she knew the hairs on the back of her paw. As Wolfsbane charged, young body eager but clumsy in the unfamiliar form, Vixen simply sidestepped once, and with a sharp cuff of a paw sent the younger mutant slamming back to the ground.

#You will not fight me. # Ilehana commanded telepathically. #I am alpha, I am the leader here. You are just a cub. #

#No I'm not! # Wolfsbane's mind voice betrayed her youth, betrayed her fears. #I am a hunter! I have tasted blood! #

#The blood of Pack! # Ilehana shouted in return, teeth bared and striding forwards to stand aggressively over the smaller animal. #You have turned on a pack member and tried to kill him! I should kill you for it! # And as if to prove her point, Vixen snapped her jaws close to Wolfsbane's throat, slicing through hairs. Wolfsbane whimpered, a lowly pathetic sound, and cowered backwards. She suddenly knew she would be no match for the older, wiser female. #But you are just a cub… # Vixen acknowledged slowly, as if it took all her strength to do so. #Change back, Wolfsbane. We will deal with what you have done when you are in your human form. #

#I… # Wolfsbane began, shaking her head slightly as she eyed her hairy forelimbs with her black and white wolf's vision. #I don't know how… #

#What do you mean, you don't know how? If this is some ploy to get out of your punishment… # Ilehana's piercing blue eyes demanded.

#No, no… Vixen, please, I don't know what I'm supposed to do! I've done this a thousand times, but I don't know where to start… # There was nothing in Wolfsbane's terrified brown eyes as she pleaded to Ilehana like a cub begging for food. It would have taken a stronger wolf than Ilehana to deny that most fundamental of wolf-ish reactions.

#All right, I'll talk you through it… # Vixen gave a wolf-sigh and went to touch noses with the juvenile in a gesture of support. #Now relax, and concentrate… #


	13. 13

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

**A/N:** Again, references to the Guardians from Corrinth's work Guardians of Destiny.

Scene 13 

The chuntering sound of a bike approaching at some speed called a halt to the arguments and opinions being thrown about the school's entranceway by pupils and X-Men alike. Shadowcat hugged a banister, raised her troubled eyes as the front door creaked open, watched as a slow silence fell on the other mutants. Blaze and Gambit entered at a sprint, but stopped abruptly as they saw the unusual gathering in front of them. Pierced by so many pairs of eyes, neither X-Man felt entirely comfortable.

"What's going on?" Blaze asked, singling Bobby out, demanding an explanation from her friend.

"What isn't?" Bobby answered, before rising to Blaze's challenge and taking charge. "Show's over guys, c'mon, bedtime."

"Shadowcat?" Gambit asked as Kitty walked down a couple of flights of steps against the tide of grumbling teenage mutants.

"We had a power cut." Kitty stated matter-of-factly. "Logan went out to check the circuit breakers, and Wolfsbane attacked him."

"What? Why?" Blaze taught Wolfsbane, she wouldn't have dreamt the girl capable of such a horror. "Are they both okay?"

"They're fine. She fell and banged her head apparently. Cyclops and Jubilee are talkin' to her friends now, but they're totally freaked. Ilehana's tryin' to get through to Wolfsbane, but who knows how long that's gonna take…"

Blaze and Gambit exchanged worried glances; both appreciating that they'd missed a crisis. But that didn't change the reason why they had rushed home; they still had their own information to report.

"Is the Professor about?" Blaze asked, just as Bobby spoke up. "Aren't you guys back kinda early?"

"Ran into an ole friend." Gambit explained with a scowl.

"Sheesh, Gambit, how many old friends do you have that cause you problems?" Bobby teased, but his eyes were serious.

"One of the Horsemen." Blaze filled in for Iceman, not noticing the vague confusion that passed over the only recently returned Shadowcat's face. Absently, Laura rubbed her throat where Apocalypse's messenger had grabbed her. "We really need to talk to Xavier…"

"I'm right here Blaze." Xavier had been telepathically aware of the return of his X-Men. "Bobby, Kitty, please could you help Ororo and Kurt settle the children? I think with all the frayed nerves tonight they will need all the help they can muster."

"No problem Professor." Bobby answered, as Shadowcat nodded and both disappeared upstairs.

"Well then, it seems it never rains but it pours." Xavier sighed, a sentiment echoed by Blaze and Gambit. Sensing their unease and flagging energies, Xavier smiled at them both warmly. "I think that if perhaps Apocalypse's message can wait five minutes, a cup of tea might be in order. Would you both care to join me?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"When did you become so conniving?" Samantha demanded in an over-the-top whisper, as the dorm door closed behind the leaving Jubilee and Cyclops. A X-Man briefing had been called over something, and it could not have come at a better time for the three friends as they fought to keep up the story that Wolfsbane had simply fallen. Iona glowered at Shockwave, and refused to answer the older girl as Vertigo went to once again bring out the Apocalypse Chronicles.

"Does it matter Sam?" Vertigo asked, her unease somehow more bearable as she hugged to tome to her chest. "We fooled those idiots, they don't have a clue. And with Wolfsbane giving blood-sacrifice to the book, Apocalypse's power is brought one step closer to being re-kindled in full."

"Ver, what are you on about?" Sam frowned, confused by her friend's strange words. Vertigo didn't answer, her violet eyes unseeing and her breathing shallow as though she was on the edge of some sort of trance. The air throbbed. "Iona…" Shockwave turned to her small sidekick, but again she saw no recognition in the Boston girl's face. "What is wrong with you both?"

"Can't you feel it?" Iona whispered, rocking backwards and forwards as she sat on the edge of the bed, hands outstretched, pleading for the book to come to her. "Can't you feel the power, the pull? I know you've heard it Sam, I know you've heard his voice. The chaos, the wonder… He offers us everything, we are the only ones he can turn to, because we came to him voluntarily."

"He's been trapped, for eons and eons, trapped and alone and unable to fulfil his nature. But now, times change… He is out, but his powers are not strong enough yet to break the temple seal… He is free but he is not whole." Vertigo stroked the cover of the book tenderly, as through she stroked the hair of a child she held. "He needs us, Sam. He wants us to go to him."

"Apocalypse?" Sam breathed in wonder, and as soon as she said his name, it was as though she could hear him too. A chaotic insistence, promising glory, power, riches, for her and only for her. But she must not tell the others. He had them fooled; he was telling them this was an offer for all four of them. But he only had a place for her at his right hand. He did not want the others; just Shockwave, she was the most powerful. But they should travel to him together; bring him the book, for that was what mattered the most. The book in which ancient monks had scrawled down the secrets of his most elementary power, sealed that power from him so that he could be imprisoned. The book that once it was in his control would allow him to be whole once more…

Shockwave shuddered, her hands clutching her eyes as she both felt and saw everything he was telling her. She wondered in some small part of her, hiding from the deluge, if it was possible for him to put any more information into her head at once. It was as though the whole chaos of creation was at her fingertips. Was that what he was offering her, knowledge and power and control beyond anything Charles Xavier had ever been able to grasp?

But all thoughts passed, and suddenly like waking from a dream Samantha Hawley's head snapped up. The vacant look to her eyes hid only the flood of knowledge in her pounding skull. She knew what she, what they had to do. And then Apocalypse would rise once more. With no heroes, no mystical Guardians to fight and defeat him, to lock him away and steal his powers for a book, he would rule the world. And Shockwave would stand at his right side as he looked down on the chaos his rule would bring…


	14. 14

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave, Gaia and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

**A/N:** Apologies for references to my previous stories in this chap, please bear with me if you've no idea what I'm talking about, its all just to fill you in before we get going again.

Scene 14 

The X-Men gathered in a briefing room, called together by Xavier in order to bring the team up to date on everything Apocalypse could mean to them. So far this meeting had been put off and put off, every small hiccough Apocalypse cause dealt with and dispatched quickly. The Professor hadn't realised until he'd got them all sat down together now, with the exception of his daughter who was still with Wolfsbane, how many different aspects of the whole different team members were unaware of. He was left with the uncomfortable idea that this briefing should have happened a lot sooner than this.

"To be honest," Scott Summers addressed the gathered X-Men with an even voice, not put off from reporting by his friends' eyes on him and him alone. "Even after what, a year now, we don't know much about this Apocalypse or what he's trying to do. There doesn't seem to be any grand scheme to set mutants in power, and he doesn't discriminate between mutants and normal humans at all in his attacks. Yet he has to be a mutant, what he's capable of just couldn't arise any other way."

Scott flicked a button on the remote he held, ad the digital slide behind him changed. Now, instead of a blank screen, a map of North and Central America appeared. Four dots, four coloured lines, criss-crossed the United States, all heading to one converging point. There were looks of recognition on the faces of some of those gathered there, the lines marked the paths of the Four Horsemen, tracked by some of the X-Men a year ago. The lines never actually converged, and it seemed that a year ago at least, the four members of Apocalypse's guard had never even met. One, named Archangel, Gambit and Blaze had brought back to the mansion, so brainwashed and disturbed not even Xavier could help him, other than breaking the most rudimentary hold that Apocalypse had over the man. The other Horsemen had simply disappeared. With a breath, Cyclops continued to bring the team up to date.

"We know from what we've seen recently that Apocalypse has his four chosen elite, his mutant bodyguard. What we didn't know was how or why he was using them. But Ilehana thinks we're thinking about it in to human terms. He chose four mutants, from four different parts of the US, with four greatly different powers and apparently called them to a set place. We know that on their way they tried to cause as much havoc as they could. Ilehana thinks they were trying to impress Apocalypse, like male animals competing for a mate. The Horsemen aren't in this together, his brainwashing wont let them think like that, we saw that in Warren Worthington."

"And the place they were being called to?" Nightcrawler asked, "Is that where they went? Why do you think they stopped their attacks on the way?"

"It makes sense that the site is the point where the tangents cross." Cyclops turned to face the map himself, putting a finger on the spot where the four lines would have crossed eventually. "Here, on the western edge of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. As for why the Horsemen suddenly stopped their attacks, maybe what we did with taking out Archangel disrupted things, and Apocalypse decided he'd had enough of games." Scott shrugged, and sat down. Blaze and Gambit both scowled at Cyclops for daring to suggest the hard work they'd put in to bring a halt to Archangel had been anything in the slightest to do with him, but they didn't say anything.

"Maybe he just thought he was gettin' too predictable." Logan suggested with a raised eyebrow, nodding in the direction of the map. "He's not there anymore though, am I right?"

"No, if he was ever there at all." Storm filled in. "Our Mexican agent Gaia has been keeping an eye on the place, a large jungle temple complex built by the ancient Mayans called Xitakulkan, since she, Nightcrawler and I went to check it out when the Horsemen disappeared. She's not had anything to report."

Blaze smiled briefly at the repeated mention of Gaia, a Mexican Archaeologist with the mutant power to control plant life. But glad as she was to know that Gaia was still in touch with Storm and the Professor, the smile Blaze risked was a shallow one. The fire elemental needed little reminding of the time she herself had spent, with Storm, Gaia and one other mutant as brainwashed and violent drones. The sympathy Blaze felt towards those who had, before Apocalypse, just been normal mutants, but now were his agents of destruction was pure and unsullied. If the Horsemen could be returned to themselves, they would still have to live with the knowledge of what they had been forced to do, what they had failed to prevent, for the rest of their lives.

"Has Archangel been replaced?" Jubilee asked. "When we saw him in New York…"

"You saw him?" Blaze suddenly asked, coming out of her thoughts and leaning forward in her seat. The X-Men had seen Warren and not told her? Why would they hide something like that from her? Next to her, Gambit put a supportive hand on the back of Blaze's chair, wishing once more she'd stop keeping so many secrets to herself. Blaze barely noticed the gesture.

"He was spotted Blaze, nothing more." Xavier calmed the situation easily. Jubilee rubbed the palms of her hands on her trousers, hoping Blaze wouldn't take offence to her toasting her ex, if the Firefly ever did find out.

"An' he's been replaced." Logan filled in. "The bunch of nutters Gumbo and I busted up in Maine were still talkin' 'bout four messengers."

"I don't understand." Kitty was a little quiet in her first briefing back as an X-Man. "These people are, like, making cults to Apocalypse? Why?"

"Why do people ever do anything, Shadowcat?" Storm observed wryly. "Power, success, security. They want something in return."

"And the chances are that these so-called cults are not new collectives." Xavier mused aloud. "Legends of the Apocalypse, end of the world cults, Armageddon, they are all symbolic fears that have been with humankind as long as humans have existed. A mutant calling himself Apocalypse and with powers to brainwash individuals could draw the attention of a lot of very sorry groups of individuals."

"But why now? Why are these cults sprouting up all over the place and causing trouble suddenly? If Apocalypse has been about for a year, maybe longer, what is he waiting for?" Bobby asked, and for a moment no one answered.

"He ain't ready." Gambit spoke, slowly, slightly unnerved himself at how well he understood this strategy of Apocalypse's. He met each of the X-Men's eyes in turn as he tried to put it into words, hands palm down on the table in front of him. No aces up his sleeve, this time it was a straight-up game… "He waitin', buildin' his forces, trainin' an' armin' them, getting' his hand ready like a poker game. But it not bin easy for him, he come from nothin'. Bin easier since he got his Horsemen doin' the legwork, but still he ain't ready. Now it all hinge on one t'ing. Where he gonna get his actual power from. If dis was me," He met Xavier's piercing blue eyes before looking to Blaze for support. "If dis me it be the cash to pay the other folks, an advance from the buyer of whatever I'se stealin'. Don't make no move before you know it worth it, non?"

"I don't get it." Cyclops clearly didn't, leaning back in his seat and rubbing the back of his neck.

"The cults are the guild." Blaze spoke clearly, only looking at Gambit as if for his approval. Still for his approval, apprentice to the master thief, no matter how far removed from that they now were, Xavier noted without comment. "They'll watch Apocalypse's back, help him find and ready the people he needs for the project. When it's all over, they will then help them all to disappear again. The Horsemen and whatever other mutants he's recruited are the ones who will actually do the dirty work. Apocalypse won't risk himself if he doesn't have to; it's not worth it. But they all need something to keep them sweet, keep them interested, though I don't know what that might be."

Gambit nodded, more in approval than agreement. She did occasionally listen to him after all. Blaze smiled at him, and turned back to her friends as Xavier spoke.

"And so the questions remain, who is backing Apocalypse, what is he planning, and how much time do we have left to stop him?"


	15. 15

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

**A/N:** Bit about Vixen having a tail happened in her introductory story, Ties of Mutant Blood by Corrinth.

Scene 15 

"They don't get it, do they?"

Gambit was sat on a wooden bench under the ancient trees, at the other side of the grassy lawn from the mansion. He'd waited until Blaze was in earshot before voicing is thoughts, watching her reaction as she stopped a few small steps away and met his eyes.

"So your explanation was a little outside Scott's realm of experience. He'll get over it. Probably." She smiled at him, dropping her eyes and taking a seat besides him. Sighing gloomily Gambit took his arms off the back of the seat and rested his elbows on his knees. Blaze frowned; something big was up with her friend… "Remy, what's wrong? And don't try and fob me off with some rubbish about the briefing. Normally proving you know more about something than Scott would have you smugly amused for days…"

For a minute Gambit didn't say anything. Blaze didn't press him either; she had much more respect for her former boss than that. Sitting back and watching him think, she allowed herself to enjoy the softness of the dawn. Already the birds were beginning their morning chorus, and the first rays of sunlight were creeping alluringly over the mansion's grounds. It wasn't the first time a long night had seen the two friends greeting the new day together, waiting for one or the other of them to reconfirm their trust in each other.

"I'se just…" Gambit started, and then gave up, eyes scanning the dew-touched grass, the closed curtains on the dorm windows, and the emptiness of the grounds. Blaze put a warm hand to his back, brushing his spine, not taking her worried eyes off of him. It still took a second before he'd turn his intense, soul-searching gaze on her.

"I'se worried about you with all this Apocalypse t'ing. I'se worried you gonna turn anythin' that happen into vengeance for L'Ange de Morte. I'se…"

"Being an idiot?" Blaze smiled softly, not moving her hand or taking her words back, despite his suddenly offended look. With her body twisted to face him, her eyes were gently kind. "Listen, Remy, I…" He turned away from her, not wanting to hear her lie in an attempt to ease his worries. But Blaze had other ideas, taking his hand out from where he rested his chin on his palm and forcing him to look at her. She locked her warm fingers with his, determined that he pay attention to her.

"I hate Apocalypse." Blaze stated simply enough, eyes exploring Gambit's as his worse fears were confirmed. "He's brainwashed innocent mutants, and is playing them against each other to cause chaos and hurt innocent people. It all rings a little too close to home for me Rem…" Gambit wondered why he'd never seen that link before, that link back to when Blaze had been a brainwashed agent of destruction… But Blaze didn't give him time to consider it. "I'd hate what he's doing even if I had never known anyone he's had power over. And as for Warren…" Gambit extracted his hand from Blaze's professionally as she brought up Archangel, but Blaze pressed on regardless. "Warren's dead, Remy. There's nothing of the man I knew left. Its just someone else is wearing his skin now…"

"You make it sound so simple Petite…"

"Its all that meditation mumbo-jumbo you think is a load of rubbish." Blaze teased soothingly, trying to make Gambit understand. "Not only does it help me control my powers, it also gives me chance to think… Don't worry Gambit, I won't be putting the X-Men in danger over this…"

"The X-Men look after themselves…" Gambit retorted, turning back to see Blaze smile at him and forgetting again that the two of them were X-Men. "It you I'se suppose to look after, non?"

"You do look after me." Blaze affirmed, smiling as Gambit stifled a yawn. "Getting too old for all-nighters mon Ami?"

"Oui…" Remy grumbled, not really serious, relief that he'd told his best friend his concerns a balm of easy tiredness that suddenly washed over him. "But nothin' strong coffee won't cure…"

"Don't be stupid, Remy." Blaze smiled, standing and offering her friend a hand up. "You're going to bed, a few hours sleep will do you a world of good…"

"Who you t'ink you is Petite, my mother?" Gambit groused, but accepted the hand up lazily.

"I'm just trying to look after you…" Blaze took the hand he'd offered and wound it around her shoulders, his weight there a pleasant comfort. "This works both ways you know…"

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The door slid open again finally, allowing the grey wolf to leave. Ilehana paused in the porthole, glancing back over her flank at the still form behind her, covered over with an insulating blanket.

#Five hours. # The wolf addressed the Wolverine wearily. #Five hours and she's still not entirely human. # It was true, Logan could see that whilst Wolfsbane was now more humanoid than canine, she was still covered in a fine red-grey downy fur. The hand that clutched the blanket to her as she slept, exhausted, was stubbier than normal, and each finger tipped with a black claw rather than a nail. The wolf's tail that hung out from under the covers only served to remind Logan of his first mission with Ilehana. Vixen too had once been too exhausted to complete the metamorphosis back into human form. But Ilehana had never tried to kill him…

#I'm going to let her rest for a while, try again later… # Vixen sighed wolfishly.

#You got any ideas what set her off yet? # Logan asked, absently scratching Ilehana behind the ears as they watched the sleeping child.

#Other than Iona's story of her banging her head? # Ilehana the Wolf shook her head slowly. #Wolfsbane doesn't seem to know. I need to get her human and calm to try and get an answer from her, but its not going to be easy. # Ilehana stepped back and clear of the door, allowing it to close. #Right now all I want to do is sleep. #

#You gonna change back first babe? # Logan asked, mind voice slightly amused. Again the wolf shook her head.

#Too much effort for me right now. I'll be outside. # And with that the she-wolf turned and left, prowling through the lower levels like she owned them. Logan just watched her leave.


	16. 16

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave, Hawley, Matthew Cooper, Gaia and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 16 

So it was that most of the X-Men and pupils at the Xavier School were still in bed, when late that same morning an unusual sound filled the cool air outside. It grew louder as the she-wolf lifted her heavy head from her paws, and stared balefully at the sky. The sound of an approaching helicopter; a light, non-military spec. by the drone of its propellers. Standing slowly and shaking her fur free of the few clinging blades of grass, Ilehana padded back to the mansion to see what was going on. She met Cyclops coming outside, dressed smartly as though for a meeting, and quickly realised this helicopter was expected by Scott if no one else.

#Going up in the world, One-Eye? # Vixen asked as she yawned, stretching her wolf muscles and realising too late shape shifting back after so long in this form was going to be a painful experience. Ah well, nothing for it now.

"Very funny Claws." Scott smiled down at his childhood friend, not bothered in the slightest about talking out loud to a wolf. "Its Senator Hawley, I'm supposed to have a meeting with him this afternoon about Samantha, but he is kinda early…"

#And yet you look as though you've been ready for him for hours already. You seriously need a hobby Scott… # Ilehana teased, tongue lolling as both mutants watched the helicopter hover and then begin to descend towards the expanse of lawn. #Have fun, and mind your manners. # She grinned, a wolfish expression involving a painful number of very sharp teeth, and left him to it. Cyclops could only shake his head and smile. Vixen certainly was one in a million…

"Was that a wolf I just saw you talking to?" Michael Hawley was a big, gruff man who reminded Scott somewhat of a wild boar, as he took Cyclops' hand in a firm grip and shook it stoutly.

"Ilehana Xavier." Scott filled in easily, knowing no further explanation was necessary. Senator Hawley had certainly come a long way since his mutant-hating days when he'd nearly punched Kelly-Mystique's lights out after a speech. With the Professor's help, Hawley was well on the way to being more of a force for mutant rights in government than Kelly-Mystique had ever managed, and without calling for a mutant-human war. "Good to see you Senator, and you Matthew." Cyclops took Hawley's aide's hand in a friendly handshake too, one the only human who'd ever served with the X-Men returned easily with a smile. "You too Scott. Always a pleasure."

"Is there a problem, Senator?" Cyclops turned back to business with an arm waved to indicate they take the conversation inside. "Its just we weren't expecting you until this afternoon."

"I'm afraid the meeting on my daughter will have to wait," Hawley announced seriously, pacing besides Cyclops as his aide brought up the rear dutifully. "I've been asked to approach the X-Men as a go-between for a government agency. Your expertise is required on a special project, one I'd most like to discuss with Professor Xavier, if that is possible?"

Even as Scott looked blankly at the Senator, not quite understanding the older man's answer, Xavier appeared from nowhere with a serious expression on his face.

"Of course, Senator." Xavier addressed the man formally, "My office, please, and Cyclops if you could gather the X-Men in the briefing room it would be much appreciated."

"What, again?" Cyclops asked of no one in particular, as Xavier, Hawley and Matthew Cooper disappeared into the office and left the schoolteacher stood on his own.

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With Hawley and Matthew Cooper both talking animatedly on their mobile phones in Xavier's office, and likely to remain in that state for a while, the Professor headed for the lower levels. Already through his telepathy he knew the X-Men were waiting for him, but he sent them a wave of psychic apology and headed first to Cerebro. He needed to check something…

The swell of undeniable power Charles felt as the helmet set around his brow enhanced his mutation took his breath away. It always did, no matter the reason why he was using the giant machine. With no effort at all, he reached out for Mexico as a normal human would reach for the television remote. Flicking from mutant to mutant, he tried to find his local operative, the young woman named Gaia. She would be in the jungle, at an excavation no doubt. But if something untoward were going on, she would be the one to know…

It took Xavier a moment as he reached out at last to tap lightly on Gaia's telepathic signature, to ask for her attention, for him to realise something was very wrong. The startling energy with which the Mexican mutant turned on him, snarling and corrupted, threw Xavier backwards into the void. Dark laughter danced around him, Apocalypse's laughter, evil and triumphant.

#Do you think that you could keep your spy safe from me Xavier? I am the eternal! And she is mine now, has joined the legions of my glorious army! #

Xavier flung himself away forcefully, fleeing Apocalypse's laughter without shame. He had Gaia, that much was certain, but legions? The very idea that Apocalypse could have formed an army of slave mutants disturbed Xavier, not least because when in the presence of that disturbing laughter, Xavier himself could feel him slipping towards Apocalypse's fearsome control.

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"These satellite images were taken of the Tibetan Plateaux a little over a year ago." Xavier addressed his team as evenly as he could, grateful for Ilehana's calming telepathic presence as his now-human daughter sat besides him, fully aware through her own mutation of how rattled Xavier was. "The explosion comes from a deep well of catacombs called Min Garze. S.H.I.E.L.D., the agency that have approached us through Senator Hawley, have no idea what caused it. At the time they did briefly investigate, but the appearance of the Horsemen distracted matters, and the investigation was dropped. As nothing else happened, no follow up was undertaken and the explosion was accredited to seismic disturbances."

"Seismic what?" Bobby asked unbelievingly, "The whole place is purple… What type of seismic disturbance lights up purple?"

"It even weirder than Jubilee's hair, non?" Gambit teased, making Jubilee pull a face at the Cajun across the table, and Kitty giggle.

"Quite." Xavier smiled, before changing the image on the screen to another satellite scan, this time of a deep jungle region. "This is taken over Mexico, the pyramid you can just about make out in the lower left corner of the image is the pinnacle of the Xitakulkan temple…"

For a moment, the X-Men just looked at the image. The same purple brilliance shone iridescently just above the temple, whilst trees fell away from the explosion violently. The scar that was left was a brown smudge on the landscape, hasty deforestation, almost as if someone had thought himself above walking through the trees to reach the pyramid.

"When was this taken?" Storm asked hesitantly. "Why hasn't Gaia reported this?"

"This image was taken last night." Xavier paused again to let that sink in, watching as the X-Men tried to join up the dots. "I have tried to contact Gaia, but I'm afraid she is unreachable…"

"Unreachable how?" Blaze asked, worried for the peace-loving young woman. "Apocalypse?"

"I'm afraid so. S.H.I.E.L.D. have requested that we put our expertise in mutants to good use. They too have lost operatives in the area and are loathe to send in more before they know more about what they are up against. The X-Men are to go in as scouts only…"

"Sounds like a set-up to me, Professor." Logan as ever wasn't backwards in coming forwards. "These government types had enough of getting their hands dirty so they send us in instead? What's in it for us?"

"The information giving us a chance to find out what Apocalypse is up to before any more innocent people are caught up in this. Don't worry Logan, just think of the military as back-up, they cannot deal with mutants as well as the X-Men, or they wouldn't have come to us in the first place."

"So when we leavin'?" Wolverine snarled, cracking the adimantium bones in his hands, making Xavier smile.

"I'd request straight away, Logan…"


	17. 17

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave, Gaia, Senator Hawley, Matthew Cooper and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 17 

The X-Jet took off with a roar, disappearing over the horizon in the direction of Mexico like a demon on wings. Xavier made his way to Cerebro, determined to help in whatever way he could, despite the humming fear at the back of his extraordinary mind that he might once again run into Apocalypse. In Xavier's office, Hawley and Matthew Cooper were hard at work, making sure the X-Men's passage was unhindered by local authorities and so forth. The thought of going to see his only child was a long way down the list of things to do in Hawley's busy mind.

Upstairs, Samantha was waiting. Simply waiting, biding her time with Iona and Vertigo, in respectful silence as Apocalypse seemed to speak to them through the book. Only when the jet was nothing more than a vague smell of jet fuel on the breeze, when Xavier was so distracted by the awe-inspiring power of Cerebro, did they make any move.

Dressed in sheens of black and blue, long flowing garments highlighted with flared sleeves and intricate silver jewellery, all three girls cut a stunning scene. Hair loose about their faces, one bleached blonde, one strawberry blonde and one white, skin pale and drawn, it was their eyes that were their most startling feature. Dark and soulless eyes…

They strode down the stairs three abreast, making their classmates walk around them, ignoring the objections and questions of their sanity. Without a glance to the side, Vertigo still cradling the book like a baby, all three arrived as one at the lift to the lower levels. Waiting for the doors to open, Berserker's voice interrupted the flow of mysticism from the book. He asked them abruptly what they thought they were up to, confident and cocky… Until all three girls turned their gaze as one and stared at him. Hastily the teenage boy backed off, swallowing heavily, unnerved despite himself. What was going on?

The doors to the lift slid open, and the three girls strode forward and in. Turning again as one, Iona's hand punched the button for the level they wanted. The doors slid shut and they were lost from Berserker's sight. For a moment the teenager just stood there, confusion written all over his face. Then with grim determination, he punched the lift button himself. If they thought they could cause trouble in the lower levels when the X-Men were away, they had another thing coming…

Wolfsbane sat on the silver blanket dejectedly; tail brushing the floor, making a hollow swooshing noise as she contemplated all possible meanings of the word werewolf. She was going to be stuck like this forever, somehow she knew it. Trapped halfway between wolf and human, a freak, unable to pass as either. She shivered as she heard the door down the corridor open, ears twitching and hackles rising. Why was it suddenly so cold in here?

The door to her small cell-like room moved open once more, but it wasn't Ilehana that stood there, but her three friends. For a moment, Wolfsbane's spirits were lifted. They had been allowed to come see her, which must mean she wasn't in as much trouble as she'd thought. And then she saw what it was Vertigo was cradling in her arms.

"Mine!" The wolf-girl snapped, lunging through the air towards the book, hands splayed and teeth bared. Vertigo did not move, did not quiver and certainly did not feel afraid. Iona reached out a hand almost lethargically as Wolfsbane charged past her and grabbed the mutant's arm. The wolf whimpered and fell back, arm steaming as Iona's power ruptured cells and turned soft fur inside out, sensitive skin burning.

"Apocalypse's." The three girls said as one, whilst Vertigo opened the book to the page that had been stained with Wolfsbane's own blood. Now, not only the wolf's paw print marked the page. It had been joined with three handprints etched in blood. All the other three bore sliced right palms, cuts Wolfsbane's sensitive nose told her were not very old. Looking at them as she stood again, unevenly balanced with strangely contorted half-wolf, half-human limbs, Wolfsbane nodded once.

They left the room to find an irritated Berserker waiting for them. Not one of the four girls even bothered to look at him, turning as one and heading back the way they had come, back to the lift. Only when their classmate cried out with a "Hey, wait!" did they turn on him, eyes empty. Berserker started forwards, but Shockwave was quicker. She grabbed his arm in one hand and unleashed her fracturing mutant power. Crying out as Pyro once had, dropping to his knees and clutching his wrist, Berserker found himself alone again. The only signs the girls had ever even been there were the empty room where Wolfsbane had been, and the distorted fracture that had been his forearm…

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"Thanks for that, I'll be in touch." Michael Hawley went to hang up his mobile, another call finished. But before he could dial the next number, his aide's voice distracted him.

"Sir, isn't that the helicopter firing up?" Matthew had urgency, worry even, in his voice.

"Its probably nothing Matthew." Hawley lectured the younger man, wishing his aide wasn't so jumpy. "Just the pilot showing off for some kids I expect."

"Then why is it taking off?" Matthew asked, pointing out the window, "And why is our pilot kneeling on the grass and throwing up like he's drunk himself dizzy?"

"What the…" Hawley exclaimed, pushing his aide aside as he caught sight of the helicopter's new pilot raising the machine from the ground. "Sammy?"

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"What, we're gettin' an in-flight movie now?" Iceman asked, stretching in his seat as the jet levelled out at altitude, Storm at the helm.

"It's the last transmission sent out by the S.H.I.E.L.D. marines in Mexico." Cyclops replied, flicking down the monitor and selecting a playback file on the jet's computer. An ominous silence descended on the jet as Blaze and Ilehana exchanged glances. The digital image was crystal clear, the audio easily heard even over the sound of the jet's engines. This S.H.I.E.L.D. was no two-bit operation, and judging by the gritty, disciplined determination of the General who introduced himself as Marco Lewis, their missing-in-action status was enough to give even the most confident X-Man nerves.

"This will be the final report," The recording announced, "Before we enter radio darkness for the operation codename Purple Haze. The time is…"

"Think we can start having cool code names for missions?" Jubilee whispered to Kitty, but was shushed in reply.

"I can report that…" General Lewis continued, but suddenly all hell broke loose. There was shouting behind him, then weapons fire, and the camera was knocked over as the General jumped to his feet. The image distorted slightly with the impact, the lens now aimed diagonally upwards. Several soldiers sprinted past its field of view, responding to Lewis' calls to fall back. And then they appeared.

The Horseman known as War lead them, the dark and steely-eyed man from the nightclub that had attacked Blaze. A wave of his hand, and screaming followed weapons fire, as though he had turned the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's guns on themselves. Nightcrawler shuddered.

Next, the jungle seemed to suddenly become sentient, trees whispered and the earth buckled, vines uncoiled from branches and stretched out darkly to grab one soldier and haul him through the air. The camera lost sight of him, but his screams left nothing to the imagination; the plants were pulling him apart. Apocalypse had his X-Man. Gaia.

Blaze cried out wordlessly, making her teammates turn to glance at her. The redhead was rapt, avidly gawping at the screen, as a gun left abandoned by the camera slowly seemed to melt away. A trickle of metal chased itself across the ground, and parts of the camera seemed to want to join in. The image flickered, the camera melting away, and the transmission died out.

"Magneto?" Shadowcat asked doubtfully.

"Mercury." Blaze answered, shaking her head to the Magneto idea. "But she should be dead…"

"Hang on people, we're approaching the landing site." Storm instructed. "It's going to be a rough landing…"


	18. 18

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave, Gaia, Mercury and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 18 

"All set?" Cyclops addressed his team briskly, looking from Wolverine to the powerful, broad-headed, muscular jaguar with startling blue eyes. Ilehana didn't bother with a telepathic affirmation, simply nodding her huge head and making an assertive rumble in the back of her throat. "Stay in touch." Scott told his scouts, trying to hide his concern that he was, at first at least, sending Vixen and Logan in alone. It couldn't be helped; the terrain was difficult, the climate harsher than they were used to, and stealth was something they needed above everything.

Logan flicked the earpiece he wore on, stalking away over the rough forest ground as Ilehana bunched her huge muscles and headed for the boughs of the nearest tree. Her camouflage worked exceptionally well, if it hadn't been for his accentuated hearing and smell, Logan would have lost track of her in seconds.

No you wouldn't, I'm not risking you getting all the fun without me Titch. Ilehana retorted in Logan's mind, making him smile slyly and shake his head. But any reply he might have had was cut short as he crested a small rise and dropped to his belly, pushing the branches in front of him away. The slow rumble of feline awe in the tree above him was something to be noted in itself, it takes a lot to impress any cat, but the sight below was something else.

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"The pyramid's here, at the top of the compound as we'll approach." Logan told the rest of the team a short time later, sketching out a rough map in the red dirt of the forest floor. "The trees are cleared away around it for maybe a hundred metres, fresh logging, and there's plenty o' signs of that explosion…"

#Charred earth, burnt stumps, looks like the danger room after Blaze has been training. # Ilehana-jaguar filled in, making the fire elemental herself smile.

"Like I was sayin'," Logan continued patiently, "Below the temple, there's a pavement area, like an aisle up to the steps, lined on each side with this big spooky lookin' pillars…"

"Stelae." Storm filled in, "Mayan columns covered in glyphs and carvings. Gaia was trying to translate some of them last time we were here, but she'd not had much success."

"Then this is the really weird part," Wolverine was getting kinda used to the constant interruptions, came almost as a shock when he could complete the next sentence without someone butting in. "The flagged area opens out, big, and all over it there are tents, like an army barracks. There's a well in the middle, looks deep, and at the opposite end to the pyramid there's a big statue that's all weathered and broken. That's the end nearest us. To be honest, it looks like they're all set up to put the pyramid under siege down there, and they ain't budgin' till they get in."

"How many?" Cyclops asked, and Ilehana answered by #showing# them everything as she had seen it. It took the X-Men a moment to get past the richness of black and white vision that was the jaguar's window on the world, but as if one entity the mutants suddenly gasped. Not just a few tents, maybe a local or two out treasure hunting. No, Logan's barrack description was deadly accurate, rows of tents in formation, and many, many potential enemies between them and the temple.

"So what do we do?" Nightcrawler asked, looking from Logan to Cyclops to Storm, tail flicking through the air anxiously.

"We go take a closer look, non?" Gambit's eyes narrowed, sparkling as his adrenaline built. "Lets go see if Apocalypse home…"

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Knowing what they now knew, it wasn't difficult for the four X-Men most qualified in stealth to sneak right down out of the tree line and into the camp. The rest hugged the edge of the jungle, com. links open and battle ready, just in case. They had to find out now not only what happened to the missing marines, but also Gaia, and in Blaze's case at least her old alter ego Mercury. And of course, central to their aim, if this was Apocalypse and if so what was he planning?

The jaguar looked slightly out of place, slinking low to the ground, tail flicking more like a lioness' as she stalked through the tents. But she still seemed more at home than her companions as the team spilt up, Wolverine heading left, Gambit heading right, Blaze and Ilehana splintering away from the men and heading forward, listing away from each other as they moved.

The camp was eerily quiet, and Wolverine couldn't be sure, but he half-imagined his sensitive hearing was picking up shaking sobs and whispered curses as he moved along. Posture low and claws unsheathed, his intense predatory brown eyes roved almost everywhere at once, nose twitching as he concentrated for once on not getting into trouble. The sweat of the jungle, and the mixture of scents from those hiding inside the tents, distracted him, and he didn't even hear Mercury's approach until it was too late.

He'd been pinned like this before by the metal-dissolving mutant. Had his bones almost turned to liquid, his claws manipulated, his nerves set aflame with pain. If any part of him had ever rationalised that it couldn't be anywhere near as painful as he remembered, that part was silenced now like an obnoxious child sent to his room by his parents. Logan screamed.

At the scream, Ilehana's wedge-shaped head snapped up. Her muscles visibly contracted under her rich pelt as she prepared to leap to Logan's rescue. But in that moment of distraction, a clammy hand on her pelt brought her to her knees. The world swam, and the big cat thought she would heave and throw up. Ilehana the doctor knew that the sudden shivering, the aching joints, the cramped muscles was probably nothing more lethal than a heavy flu. Ilehana the X-Man wondered who wanted her alive so much this was the worse they would put her through, for now at least. Ilehana the jaguar slumped to her belly, groaning gruffly, eyes clouding over, as she smelt more than saw the individual stood over her, a person who smelt vilely unclean, like rotting meat, an embodiment of disease itself. The female Horseman known as Pestilence…

Gambit and Blaze did a little better than their teammates. At Logan's cry both reacted with a thief's instincts of self-preservation. Gambit ducked and rolled, narrowly missing War's crunching fist on the back of his neck. Instantly at such close quarters, Gambit's fist closed around the extendable staff that lived inside his trench coat pocket. Even as War readied himself for another crunching punch, Gambit took up a low stance, staff grasped in both hands. As War charged, the staff lodged itself in the dirt, and Gambit lifted himself up and over the mutant's oncoming attack. Twisting sharply the Cajun hit the overreaching Horseman across the back with the staff, knocking him forward. A quick succession of thrusts and Gambit had the staff in two hands again, a barrier across his body, whilst War lay stunned on the pavement.

But Gambit had forgotten that War was not alone out here, found himself unfairly jumped from behind by two mutants he had never seen before in his life, and one marine General who'd provided the in-flight entertainment on the way here. It really did seem Apocalypse didn't care about the differences between mutants and normal humans. If they could fight, and he could control them, they were all weapons just the same. Not that Gambit had chance to consider the ins and outs of the situation as he was flattened by the force of three full-grown men on his back, staff rolling from his grip as he slammed into the pavement hard.

Blaze became suddenly alert as Logan screamed, and so her attackers found themselves soundly toasted, like marshmallows over a campfire, as she broke into a run. Darting athletically between the smart rows of tents, she had the decision to make whether to escape back to the trees, to try and help her friend, or to put her head down and try and complete their primary objective. When a bear-like mutant emerged from between two tents to make a grab for Blaze's hair, the redhead dropped, rolling easily under the extended arm. Slow to react, the much larger female found herself clobbering a chasing marine across the jaw, whilst Blaze was back on her feet again and running.

And then she stopped. Stopped dead in her tracks, dust from the pavement dirtying her smart uniform boots, eyes widening as she saw what was up ahead of her at the base of the pyramid. The remaining two Horsemen, Death and Famine, stood to each side of a singularly impressive figure. Apocalypse himself.


	19. 19

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave, Gaia, Mercury and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

**A/N:** A little artistic licence been used here with my Apocalypse description, so please forgive me!

Scene 19 

He was laughing. A cold, wet, horrid sound, demeaning and evil. As she stood there, Blaze wondered what was so funny. A giant figure, Apocalypse seemed a much bigger than Blaze remembered him being the one time she had seen him in person before. Dressed head to foot in the full regalia of a Mayan high priest, his robe stretched to the floor, and was made of a motley of animal furs, including jaguar. Around his neck, an elaborate pendant of jade was large enough to almost be considered armour. And on his head, plumes of all manner of beautiful jungle birds vied for attention, set in a headdress so magnificent, placed low on Apocalypse's brow.

But it was his face that captivated Blaze the most. Or, more accurately, his faces, as it became clear Apocalypse had the ability to change his form at will. As he stood there laughing, his face went through a chaotic menagerie of both expressions and features, ugly and beautiful, handsome and evil. All the time, his eyes stayed on Blaze, cold and relentless. She couldn't help but shiver, almost petrified by his malevolent stare. The fear stayed with her as Famine approached, a scrawny wench of a mutant, skeletal hands grasping outwards. But fear was something Blaze was used to riding out, and as the Horseman attacked, Blaze responded in kind.

For a moment at least, it seemed the lithe and athletic, not to mention well-fed Blaze was going to easily be a match for the wispy Famine. Readying her firepower, bringing her arms back into her body as she caressed the beginnings of a fireball with both hands, Blaze's eyes were hard and hungry for victory. Famine shook her head, dispelling the cobwebs of Blazes last punch, and then suddenly flung herself to grab Blaze's wrist. There was a hiss as Famine found her hands burning, but the brainwashed mutant hung on, even as the smell of charring flesh filled the humid air. It was Blaze who struggled to break the contact, pulling backwards, eyes wide and gasping in shock.

Apocalypse laughed again as the redhead, whose mutant power was fuelled by a hypermetabolism that required her to eat substantial amounts every day, hit the floor hard, wrists still held by his Horseman. On her knees, hunger pains crippled Blaze, all semblance of power fading rapidly like a candle flame reaching the end of its wick, drowning in wax. At that moment, a pasty looking jaguar and two well-beaten men were forced onto the forecourt in the shadow of the pyramid. The masked Death fluttered his bat-like wings, looking from his master to the prisoners and back again, as though begging to be let loose to have some fun himself.

"Never did I believe that destroying the X-Men could prove so easy." When Apocalypse spoke, his voice was ageless, dark, menacing. His chaotic face settled into a wide, frog-like grin and tiny dark eyes, a truly hideous visage with skin more blue than was healthy. "Like lambs to the slaughter you bring yourselves to me, prostrate yourselves before me like the worms you are…" At his words, the brainwashed minions behind each X-Man pushed their prisoners forward, trying to make them genuflect before Apocalypse.

Too weak and wobbly to argue, Ilehana simply lay down as if she were about to take a catnap. Blaze crashed forwards from her knees, but with her hands still held by Famine, she was forced to twist contortedly, muscles tearing as she landed on her side. Logan, bones controlled by the steely-eyed thief Mercury, had no choice but to fall into the proposed position. Gambit dropped to one knee, eyes firmly on Apocalypse, knowing full well that the staff he'd been shortly been parted from was a bare foot away, dropped like booty on the pavement by his captors. One wrong move by Apocalypse, and Remy would be armed again.

"If you're going to kill us, at least let us die standing." Blaze spat, twisting her neck so she could meet Apocalypse's stare, trying weakly to wrench her arms free of Famine again.

"Kill you?" Apocalypse's smugness cut the proud X-men to the core, "No, I will trap you in your own worst nightmares, in the chaos of your own darkest fears. And in that moment, when fear grips you like death itself, I will own you as I own those who stand around you. You will be my slaves, and you may rest safe in the knowledge that it is by your own hands the rest of the X-Men will be defeated."

"Think I'll pass, if it's all the same to you." Logan snarled, fighting a losing battle against Mercury's hold on him with every breath. At that moment, a red stream of light cut through the camp, scattering tents and minions, and the sky began to darken threateningly. Cyclops and company had been listening all along, and now it became clear that the four spies were not going to be able to get out of this easily, the others charged. A poof! of smoke and Nightcrawler had bamfed in, clobbering Mercury soundly with a roundhouse kick that freed Logan. Remy dropped and rolled the foot to his staff, athletically spinning to his feet and raising his weapon threateningly.

But then something changed, and as the X-Men and Apocalypse's minions glanced up at the sky to try and find the source of the strange noise, Apocalypse chose his moment. He knew exactly why there was a helicopter approaching, just as he'd been warned that the X-Men were most probably on their way here. The girls in the helicopter may be young, but their responses to his subtle persuasions had been absolute and powerful. And now they came to return to him the key, his book, in which so long ago a portion of his power had been trapped by those called the Guardians. With it returned to him and no Guardians to speak of, he would be able to break the mystical seal on his highest seat of power, the temple pyramid behind him, and with his army fortified bring the world into chaos.

But first there were these pesky X-Men to deal with, make an example of. As they reacted in that few seconds to the helicopter's approach, Apocalypse raised his hand, swamping Gambit in bright purple energy. Even as the others looked back at the flash of light, and the redhead screamed out "NO!" Apocalypse knew he had the X-Man exactly where he wanted him…

#…The twelve-year-old street urchin with messy red-brown hair was more skin and bones than anything else, and looked like he'd been crawling through hedgerows backwards all morning. It wasn't far from the truth either; it had been an eventful morning for the boy-thief, what with the New Orleans authorities not taking his latest crime with the best of humour. He'd screwed up, big style, almost got caught. And to top it all, the damn thing he'd been trying to steal hadn't held up too good against Remy's uncontrollable mutant power. The cops were on his tail and he'd not a thing to show for it.

Somehow, he'd made it home. Where the hell else was he supposed to go? The HQ of the thieves guild was all he knew anymore, and he knew the rules. He had to report back to his master, the thieves guild boss, his adoptive father. Remy's report had lacked excuses, he knew by now they didn't pay. And now he waited, red-on-black eyes downcast, knowing full well he was about to get the merde kicked outta him for screwing up.

His pere didn't say anything as he slapped young Remy across the face with a bitter backhand, knocking the boy's head against the wall. Remy bit his lip, eyes screwed tight, knowing that crying out would only make it worse, make him hit him more. Best not to cry, best not to fight back, best just to stay quiet, an' hope it would be over soon… #

Blaze screamed out "NO!" as Remy was hit by Apocalypse's blast, her fury enough of a boost to let her wrench free of Famine. The mutant who'd denied her powers for years didn't bother trying to toast the Horseman, a sound snap kick and she had Famine down, but she didn't finish her off. Blaze had seen before what effect Apocalypse's attacks had on people, but she wouldn't believe that Apocalypse could brainwash Gambit the same as he had Archangel.

Running towards her friend without thinking, she called on her mutation, aiming her hands at Apocalypse himself. But even as she reached Gambit, reached inside her for her well of power, a spinning staff knocked her feet out from under her. A sound kick to the ribs took away her breath, as the staff was raised, glowing. Gambit slammed the staff down hard, pinning Blaze underneath one end. His power ran through it, only when he lifted the staff away did a sickening pop fill the air. Blaze's broken form was thrown a foot above the ground, and she landed heavily, no longer breathing…


	20. 20

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave, Gaia, Mercury and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 20 

The helicopter seemed to be flying straight into the pyramid as the X-Men joined battle with countless minions of Apocalypse. Then, at the last possible moment, its course veered away again, four small figures leaping from the still airborne vehicle, to land on a plateau three-quarters of the way up the temple. Out of control, the helicopter skimmed over the treetops, disappearing into the forest and slamming to the ground with a force that made the earth shake. Smoke and noise filled the air, a scar cut into the jungle by the crash.

Whether it was the noise or something else entirely that snapped Blaze back into herself, it was impossible to tell. She gasped, pain like magma fury across her right-hand side where Gambit's attack seemed to have bruised if not broken her ribs. Pain she had to put to one side as Gambit again raised his staff, swinging it elaborately to come down just where her skull had been before she'd desperately rolled away. Fortunately she was not alone; one of the other X-Men must have taken out Pestilence, as a large golden and spotted big cat, gleaming with good health, sprung over Blaze to knock Gambit to the ground. Vixen pinned the Cajun effectively, forepaws on his shoulders, rear ones on his thighs, stopping him from even slightly wriggling with all of her jaguar's weight. Growling low, Ilehana kept her friend at bay with teeth bared.

"Who is it?" Cyclops shouted as his trigger finger mowed down more and more of Apocalypse's minions. "Up on the temple?"

#You're not going to like this. # Ilehana announced in everyone's head at once. #Shockwave, Vertigo, Wolfsbane and Iona. They're in Apocalypse's control. #

"What? Why? How?" With each question, Logan sliced up somebody else, before using a tent as a makeshift net with Iceman to trap and freeze four charging marines.

"Like these people are? How is that possible?" Kitty cried out, phasing through an attacker as Jubilee came to her rescue and toasted the guy from behind.

#No, it's different. Voluntary. They…# Ilehana recoiled in disgust as her telepathy broke through in the girls' minds to find out what they were really up to. #They are going to kill themselves, a suicide pact, to break the seal on the temple and return Apocalypse to power! #

"Not if the amazing Nightcrawler can help it!" Kurt cried out, eyes flicking to the plateau, where already the four girls, oblivious to the battle below them, were flicking through the book. By Apocalypse's side, Death had taken off, soaring towards the altar platform with a ceremonial dagger in hand. Skimming over the girls, he dropped it for Samantha to catch, just as Kurt poof!ed onto the plateau. Wolfsbane, snarling, charged him, using the strongest parts of human and of wolf to knock him onto his back foot and claw his face. Her fingernails, hard and black like a wolf's claws, seared through the blue mutant's flesh, making him bleed.

Back on the ground, Storm found herself facing off with her old friend Gaia. The Mexican woman showed no sign of recognising Ororo as she made the pavement buckle and rear up under Storm's feet. The gaping crack that opened just behind Storm was big enough to swallow the claustrophobic woman whole, her boots skidding as she tried to avoid falling over the brink. Too late, Cyclops saw what was about to happen and dived to grab his friend's hand. Their fingers brushed, but Storm fell anyway, screaming.

Out of nowhere, a white streak dived after Ororo, into the dark of her worse fear, even as Gaia tried to close the ground up again. Strong arms caught the woman, pulling her to safety, and like a frightened child Storm flung her arms around her rescuer's neck. Cyclops stunned Xavier's foreign operative with a blast of laser light, turning back to the crack in the ground as Archangel pulled clear, white feathered wings beating hard, Storm safe in his arms.

"Wolfsbane!" Nightcrawler did not want to hurt his pupil if he could avoid it, but with the way Shockwave was holding the blade, hilt offered ceremoniously to Iona, he didn't have time to mess around. "Ich bins!" But she wouldn't take his word that it was him; and as she readied herself to pounce again, Kurt had no choice but to fight back. "Forgive me!" He cried, and as she pounced he bamfed behind her, pushing her over, before teleporting again to grab the knife from Iona's hand as she put it to her own throat.

A brief tug of war ensued, as Apocalypse's laughed echoed around the temple complex. But as Vertigo aimed her power at the blue elf, he won the fight with Iona and tossed the knife over the edge of the plateau. It landed a few levels down, lodged between two worn stones, out of reach. Nightcrawler clutched his head as Vertigo attacked him, stepping backwards. But Shockwave was behind him, holding the book. Apocalypse yelled as loud as Shockwave did as she tumbled from the platform, book spilling from her grasp.

Archangel took off, leaving Storm with Cyclops, wings beating frantically he somehow raced through the air to make his second well-timed catch of the day as he grabbed Shockwave. But Shockwave did not particularly want to be saved, and as Archangel weaved gracefully in and out of a volley of weapons fire and throw mutant attacks, she was struggling against him. Death again flung himself upwards, wings beating the air as he caught the falling tome. He placed it in his master's hands, as Shockwave got her fingers to Archangel's wing.

Warren's scream was horrific as the teenager fractured his delicate wing-bones, sending feathers flying. Unable to stop himself, wing cringing back into his body, Warren began to fall, and the weapons fire cut him to ribbons. Sam wrenched herself free to land in a heap on the pavement; her own discomfort easily ignored as Archangel fell to the ground and was still. Without even a word to explain his presence in Mexico, and having saved two lives during the battle without needing to be asked, Warren Worthington the third was dead.

Apocalypse laughed, the book that was part of and more than the sum of his power back in his hands. Frantically, Cyclops turned his laser vision on Apocalypse, but the larger man used the chronicles named after him as a shield, knowing full well that no mutant attack could harm the book. Indeed as the tome absorbed Cyclops' power, Apocalypse seemed to swell with it, his troops redouble their own attacks however wounded or tired they were. Gambit struggled to get a finger to Ilehana's belly, but the jaguar was having none of it. A sharp cuff to his head and he fell back again, limp.

"Scott, it's not working!" Iceman pointed out as Cyclops again blasted the Lord of Chaos. "The book's just absorbing your power!"

"So don't blast the book!" Jubilee pointed out, aiming her attack at Apocalypse's face. The force of the light that she hit him with cut his laughter short, and Shadowcat seized her chance. Charging up to them, Kitty took a breath and leapt through War and Death as they closed to make a protective circle around their master. Phasing through Apocalypse himself made the brunette shudder, but then she had the book and was making her escape.

"I'll take that!" Shadowcat called out, dropping, rolling and phasing through Famine with the book cradled in her arms. "Logan, heads up!"

"The book cannot be destroyed by your petty mutant powers!" Apocalypse challenged, though it was more like a truculent child refusing to back down no matter how unsure he was of his ground, than an all-powerful being that had total control of the situation. Had they got Apocalypse worried?

"Nothin' mutated about these!" Logan announced, flashing his claws through the air as he leapt towards the book. Death charged forward to attack the Wolverine, but Ilehana was ready for him, using the unconscious Gambit as a springboard the jaguar knocked the Horseman out of the air. Logan's claws sliced through the book in mid-air. Wolverine landed solidly besides Ilehana, and all that was left of the book fell like confetti around them…

"NO!" It was Apocalypse's turn to scream this time as all confusion ripped through the Xitakulkan temple complex. Attacking minions suddenly stopped mid-charge, whilst others seemed infected by Apocalypse's fury, the Horsemen included. Gaia turned and looked at the woman she had only recently tried to kill and smiled, confused. Mercury's charge cut Gaia's greeting for her friend short, but a bolt of crisp lightning from the air goddess struck down the metal manipulating thief.

"Thanks Storm." Gaia offered thoughtfully, "Looks like I've missed something…"

"I'll explain everything," Ororo promised, going to check that, as she thought, Mercury was no longer breathing. Kneeling besides the empty body, Storm closed Eloise's steely eyes for the final time. "But I don't think you're going to like it…"


	21. 21

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave, Gaia, Mercury and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 21 

It was over all too quickly. With the book destroyed, all the minions that had been brainwashed since the girls discovered it in the Xavier library and began using it to enhance Apocalypse's power reverted back to normal. Those that he'd had a hold on before, including the Horsemen and Mercury, had responded to his outrage with a bloodthirsty attack. But there simply were not enough of them, especially not as the S.H.I.E.L.D. marines joined forces with the X-Men, their combined strength a force to be reckoned with. But somehow, in the chaos, and even as the Horsemen fell one by one, Apocalypse himself had sneaked away…

"It me, or was the Vixen jus' on top of Gambit?" The jaguar gave the Cajun, who was now sat up, a playful cuff, making him smile. "It not my fault you find me irresistible Cherie…" Ilehana growled at that, though not as much as Logan, but both Remy's friends dropped it as Gambit stood up, frowning, putting his hand to his head. A shudder ran through him involuntarily, all humour gone as the images, memories Apocalypse had used on him surfaced again. His mouth was dry, his stomach lurching, and he knew he had to get away, be alone…

Blaze watched, cradling her injury as she sat on the ground, seeing Remy turn away from them all and walking off, shoulders slumped, his usual swagger gone. His staff he slung over his back, like a child clutching a precious toy against some threatening nightmare. Laura only had to think the word #Up# and Ilehana was at her friend's side, resisting the doctor within her to let Blaze use the jaguar as a lever to get to her feet.

Hobbling, still clutching her side, Blaze followed Gambit away from the rest of the team. From the girls that Nightcrawler had teleported down from the plateau, and Cyclops trying to take charge. From Ilehana and Logan trying to sort through the remainders of Apocalypse's army. From Iceman, Storm and the rest searching for any further sign of Apocalypse, though it appeared the Lord of Chaos had, in the chaos, truly disappeared. She found Gambit deep in the forest, stood at the edge of a steep slope, below which a suspiciously green glade suggested a swamp. Trust the Cajun… She stood off from him, letting him think, knowing without needing to make it obvious that he knew she was there.

"Did I ever…" He started, voice deep and croaky, for once in his life unsure. Blaze said nothing as his voice died away again. Indeed she was so silent that eventually he turned back from the brink, metaphorically and otherwise, to look at her. "Did I ever hurt you? I'se bin tryin' to t'ink, I'se not remember…" Blaze still said nothing, not quite understanding his question as the bruising to her ribs throbbed and pounded. Gambit took a step towards her, but the stopped, as if still afraid of something. He tried again to explain, the angst in his voice more painful than the bruising to Blaze. "Did I ever hit you for not doin' somethin' right when I'se trainin' you?"

"Oh." Blaze suddenly grasped what he meant, and shook her head forcefully. "No, of course not, Rem! How could you even think that you could?" And then it hit her; he thought he might have because the same thing had happened to him. One of those childhood things he'd never talk to anyone about… Her heart wept for him, for the child he had been, and she staggered stubbornly to his side. "Remy, you never once put a hand on me, as your apprentice or otherwise. At least, not in a way any right-minded woman would complain about…"

It took him a moment, but then a small smile crept into the corner of his mouth, and he nodded. Dropping the staff from his shoulder he turned to hug Blaze, but she squirmed away painfully. "What's wrong?" He asked frantically, red-on-black eyes searching her face. Blaze shook her head and clutched her side, concentrating on her breathing for a moment. Only when the pain had subsided did she meet his worried eyes.

"Mercury pelted me pretty bad…" Blaze lied; a white lie to keep him sane. Remy only looked at her, and she couldn't tell if he'd seen through it or not. "Come on, let's get back, before they start thinking one of Ilehana's jungle friends has eaten us…"

"Wanna borrow this, Chere?" Remy offered the staff as a walking stick, concerned at Blaze's wordless nod and the grim determination on her pretty face, as she looked back over the uneven terrain that separated them from the jet. "Maybe I'se better off jus' carryin' you, Petite?"

"What, with Logan back there, no thanks." Blaze smiled, but let him take her other arm as they began the painful walk back. "I'd never live it down…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wolfsbane wasn't entirely sure that Nightcrawler wasn't telepathic, gratefully wrapping the thick blanket that he brought around her as she began to slip easily back into a fully human form. The blue elf nodded once at the four girls, before leaving them to it on a corner of the pavement and going back to work. All four students of the Xavier school were shaking, in shock, but back to themselves once more. Or at least they would be, if ever they could truly forget the images and evil Apocalypse had poisoned their all too willing minds with. As they surveyed the battlefield and tried to comprehend how far their actions had spread, it was Sam who broke the uneasy silence first.

"I guess we screwed up again…"

"Looks that way." Vertigo agreed, meeting Sam's eyes nervously, both comprehending how Apocalypse had been playing them off of each other, trying to destroy their friendship. Of course none of them would ever admit how close he had got…

"I think we could make a career out of it." Wolfsbane sighed, rubbing her hands together, enjoying the feel of soft skin and the shape of her long human fingers once more. She ached all over, but she knew now she'd be okay, and it was a satisfying relief.

"We could write the book." Iona offered, voice neutral. The other three turned on their smallest friend, expressions ranging from Sam's scowl to Vertigo's fear and Wolfsbane's confusion. Slowly, the little strawberry blonde's face cracked into a smile, as she explained. "Joking!"

Sam was the first to match Iona's grin with one of her own, but by that small action the tension was gone, and the other two joined them. Grins gave way to giggles of stupid relief, they were going to be okay, and as the four friends linked arms they knew with certainty it would take more than evil brainwashing to ruin a friendship as solid as theirs...

#The End #


End file.
